Installing and configuring mscs, Verifying cluster readiness – Dell PowerVault 775N (Rackmount NAS Appliance) User Manual

Page 33

Advertising
background image

Installing and Configuring MSCS

MSCS is an integrated service in the Windows Storage Server 2003, Enterprise Edition operating system. MSCS performs the

basic cluster functionality, which includes membership, communication, and failover management. When MSCS is installed

properly, the service starts on each node and responds automatically if one of the nodes fails or goes offline. To provide

application failover for the cluster, the MSCS software must be installed on both cluster nodes.

See "

Using MSCS

" for more information.

NOTE:

For systems with split backplane modules installed, the cluster installation tries to use the logical drives on the

secondary backplane as cluster disks. Because these drives are not accessible to all nodes in the cluster, ensure that

they are removed from the cluster after the installation is complete.

NOTE:

In Windows Storage Server 2003, Enterprise Edition, mapping a network drive to the same drive letter as a

cluster disk resource renders the cluster disk inaccessible from Windows Explorer on the host. Ensure that mapped

network drives and cluster disks are never assigned the same drive letter.

Verifying Cluster Readiness

To ensure that your server and storage systems are ready for MSCS installation, ensure that these systems are functioning

correctly and verify the following:

All cluster servers are able to log on to the same domain.

The shared disks are partitioned and formatted, and the same drive letters that reference logical drives on the shared

storage system are used on each node.

For each attached PowerVault 22xS storage system, the split-bus module is set to cluster mode before power-up.

Cluster mode is enabled on all PERC cards connected to shared storage.

The controller's SCSI IDs (6 or 7) on each node are different.

All peer PERC cards are connected to the same PowerVault system through the same channel number.

All IP addresses and network names for each system node are communicating with each other and the rest of the

network. The private IP addresses should not be accessible from the LAN.

Configuring Microsoft Windows Storage Server 2003, Enterprise Edition
Cluster Service (MSCS)

The cluster setup files are automatically installed on the system disk.

To create a new cluster:

1. From either node, click the Start button, select Programs

Administrative Tools, and then double-click Cluster

Administrator.

2. From the File menu, select Open Connection.

3. In the Action box of the Open Connection to Cluster, select Create new cluster.

The New Server Cluster Wizard appears.

4. Click Next to continue.

Advertising