Background Reading: Creating a Cluster Management Application

You can create a cluster management application using C, C++, Microsoft Visual Basic or a scripting language. What you choose to read before beginning to code depends on your choice of language. If you are using C or C++, you will be working with the Cluster API to manipulate data. If you are using Visual Basic or a scripting language, you will be working with the Cluster Automation Server.

    To create a cluster management application with C or C++

1. Become familiar with the common properties of resources, resource types, nodes, and groups through the relevant sections in the SDK:
   • Common Resource Properties describe properties that apply to all resources.
   • Common Resource Type Properties describe properties that apply to all resource types.
   • Common Group Properties describe properties that apply to all groups.
   • Common Node Properties describe properties that apply to all nodes.
2. Become familiar with the private properties of resources associated with the Cluster Server resource types by reading Private Resource Properties.
3. Use the Cluster Structures reference to learn how structures are used to store properties and other cluster-related information.
4. Refer to the relevant portions of the Cluster API for making calls to the Cluster Service:

   Cluster Management Functions discusses functions for accessing the cluster as a whole.

   Node Management Functions discusses functions for accessing cluster nodes.

   Group Management Functions discusses functions for accessing cluster groups.

   Resource Management Functions discusses functions for accessing resources.

   Cluster Database Management Functions discusses functions for accessing the cluster database.

    To create a cluster management application with Visual Basic or a scripting language

1. Learn about the Component Object Model (COM) and Automation if you are unfamiliar with these technologies. See the "COM and ActiveX Object Services" section of the Microsoft Platform SDK for information on these technologies, or read Inside COM by Dale Rogerson, which is available through Microsoft Press.
2. Refer to the relevant portions of the Cluster Automation Server reference to learn about the programmable objects that are available and their properties and methods.