Example: Specifying Cluster and Cluster Host Parameters
Applies To: Windows Server 2003, Windows Server 2003 R2, Windows Server 2003 with SP1, Windows Server 2003 with SP2
A fictitious organization, Contoso, is designing a VPN remote access solution, based on Routing and Remote Access and Network Load Balancing. The VPN remote access solution provides remote access to Contoso’s private network by establishing Point-to-Point Tunneling Protocol (PPTP) and Layer Two Tunneling Protocol (L2TP) VPN tunnels through the Internet. The VPN remote access server farm contains five servers that have identical system resources.
Table 8.4 lists the cluster parameter design decisions for the VPN remote access server farm and the reasons for making those decisions.
Table 8.4 Cluster Parameter Settings for the VPN Remote Access Server Farm
| Decision | Reason for the Decision |
|---|---|
The cluster IP address and subnet mask is assigned an IP address and subnet mask that is accessible from the Internet. |
Remote access users need to access the VPN server farm running on the cluster from the Internet. |
The cluster is assigned the FQDN of vpn.contoso.com. |
The FQDN assigned to the cluster is the name used by remote access users when accessing the VPN server farm running on the cluster. |
The cluster operation mode is set to unicast. |
The network infrastructure supports the unicast cluster operation mode. For more information about the decisions regarding setting this mode, see "Selecting the Unicast or Multicast Method of Distributing Incoming Requests" later in this chapter. |
The remote control settings are not enabled. |
The remote control settings are not required, because Network Load Balancing Manager will be used to administer the cluster. |
Table 8.5 lists the cluster host parameter design decisions for the VPN remote access server farm.
Table 8.5 Cluster Host Parameter Settings for the VPN Remote Access Server Farm
| Cluster Host Name | Host Priority | Dedicated IP Address | Initial Host State |
|---|---|---|---|
NLBClusterA-01 |
1 |
Not specified |
Started |
NLBClusterA-02 |
2 |
Not specified |
Started |
NLBClusterA-03 |
3 |
Not specified |
Started |
NLBClusterA-04 |
4 |
Not specified |
Started |
NLBClusterA-05 |
5 |
Not specified |
Started |
A unique cluster host priority is assigned to each cluster host. The cluster host initial host state is set to Started to ensure that Network Load Balancing starts automatically and that the cluster host automatically joins the cluster.