Getting started with Microsoft Cluster Service, Part 5: Create File Server Cluster (1)

This entry is part 5 of 8 in the series Getting started with Microsoft Cluster Service

In this part and next following post, I’m going to create a file server cluster that has 2 nodes which are BKKSQL010 and BKKSQL020. This part, I’ll create a group to hold all resouces for the file server cluster. Then, I’ll create a physical disk resource (Disk R:) on the server cluster to keep my shared files. Next, I’ll create a virtual IP address for client to access the shared folder. Last step in this part, I’ll create a network name resource to the IP address so I can access the shared folder through this name besides the IP address. I’ll cover how to create a file share resource on the next post.

Sections

  1. Create a new group and physical disk resource
  2. Create a new IP address resource
  3. Create a new network name resource

Step-by-step to create file server cluster

Create a new group and physical disk resource

  1. Open Cluster Administrator and connect to the existing server cluster (BKKCluster).
  2. Create a new group for this file cluster by right click on Group -> New -> Group.
    Create a new group
  3. On New Group window, type the name of this group. In this example, I’ll create a group called ‘FileCluster’. Click next.
    Name as 'FileCluster' group
  4. On Preferred Owners, select the nodes that you want to add to this group. Also, you can re-order nodes by using Move Up or Move Down button. I’ll add both nodes to be the owner of this group and let BKKSQL010 is at the top. Click finish.
    Select servers for Preferred Owners
  5. Now you have a new group called ‘FileCluster’. Next is to add a physical disk in this group by create a new resource. Right click on the ‘FileCluster’ group -> New -> Resource.
    The 'FileCluster' group has been created
  6. On New Resource window, select Resource type as a ‘Physical Disk’ and Group as ‘FileCluster’. Set name of this resource to ‘Disk R:’. Click next.
    Create a new Physical Disk Resource
  7. On Possible Owners, assign nodes as same as when you created a new group. Click next.
    Select servers for Possible Owners
  8. On Dependencies, you can add resources which need to be brought online before this resource. Since this is the first resource I’m creating so it hasn’t any resource depends on. Just click next.
    Select dependencies resources
  9. On Disk Parameters, select the disk R:. Click finish.
    Select physical disk R:
  10. Now the first resource has been created.
    The resource 'physical disk' has been created
  11. Bring the resource online by right click on the resource ‘Disk R:’ and click Bring Online.
    Bring the resource online
  12. Open R: drive on BKKSQL010. This drive will be able to fail-over now. Next, create a new folder ‘Files’. This will be a file sharing folder.
    Create a folder on shared disk

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Create a new IP address resource

  1. Create a IP Address resource for access this file sharing resource by using IP Address. Select Resource type to ‘IP Address’ and Group as ‘FileCluster’. Set name of this resource to ‘FileClusterIP’. Click next.
    Create a new IP Address resource
  2. On Possible Owners, assign nodes as same as when you created the first resource. Click next.
    Select servers for Possible Owners
  3. On Dependencies, no need to add any resource. Click next.
    Select dependencies resources
  4. On TCP/IP Address Parameters, set IP Address for this resource. I’ll set IP Address to 192.168.1.13/24 and select Network LAN. Click finish.
    Assign IP Address
  5. The resource IP Address has been created.
    The resource 'IP Address' has been created
  6. Now you can access this server cluster by using the IP Address that you’ve just created.

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Create a new network name resource

  1. Next, I’ll create a resource ‘Network Name’ for the IP Address that just created. Right click on the ‘FileCluster’ group -> New -> Resource.
  2. Select Resource type to ‘Network Name’ and Group as ‘FileCluster’. Set name of this resource to ‘FileClusterNetworkName’. Click next.
    Create a new Network Name resource
  3. On Possible Owners, assign nodes as same as when you created the previous resource. Click next.
    Select servers for Possible Owners
  4. On Dependencies, add resource ‘FileClusterIP’ to the resource dependencies. Click next.
    Select dependencies resources
  5. On Network Name Parameters, set the Name that you want. This is the name for accessing by client. Select the check box ‘DNS Registration Must Succeed’ to register this name to DNS Server before bring this resource online. Click finish.
    Assign Network Name
  6. The resource Network Name has been created.
    The resource 'Network Name' has been created

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Series Navigation<< Getting started with Microsoft Cluster Service, Part 4: Add Node to Server ClusterGetting started with Microsoft Cluster Service, Part 6: Create File Server Cluster (2) >>

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