Understanding Server Clusters

Applies To: Windows Server 2003, Windows Server 2003 R2, Windows Server 2003 with SP1, Windows Server 2003 with SP2

Understanding server clusters

Windows Server 2003, Enterprise Edition and Windows Server 2003, Datacenter Edition use clustering to provide high-availability application support. A server cluster is a group of independent computer systems, called nodes, working together as a single system. Server clusters allow users and administrators to access and manage the nodes as a single system rather than as separate computers.

The following sections describe how Windows Server 2003, Enterprise Edition and Windows Server 2003, Datacenter Edition use server clusters to provide high availability, easy manageability, and enhanced scalability: