Using Microsoft Cluster Server to Create a Virtual Server

• Microsoft Windows NT Server, Enterprise Edition version 4.0 - Microsoft Cluster Server

SUMMARY

Microsoft Cluster Server (MSCS) version 1.0 is included with the Microsoft Windows NT Server Enterprise Edition version 4.0.

While MSCS is designed to allow a system administrator to connect two servers in a high-availability cluster, it can also be used on a single server to provide multiple "virtual servers" with minimal configuration required.

Each virtual server will have its own name and unique IP address. This can be useful if migrating several servers onto one new server.

NOTE: MSCS does not support IPX or NetBEUI protocols.

MORE INFORMATION

To install MSCS, you must have more than one disk controller. At least one controller must be SCSI, and that controller cannot have the boot device attached to it.

A disk attached to this controller will act as the MSCS shared Quorum disk, which is where MSCS keeps the data needed to failover a cluster. Note that using only one system does not provide a mechanism to actually failover, and the system is not considered highly-available.

To install MSCS, follow the instructions in the MSCS Administrators Guide on how to install the first node of a cluster. After MSCS is installed, you can create cluster Groups using the Cluster Administrator. Within each group, create an IP resource with the IP address of this virtual server. Also create a Network Name resource with the name that you want to give to the virtual server. Make this resource depend on the IP address that was just created.

On the network, the server will respond to its main node name, and will also respond to the names created in any cluster groups. Any shares or applications will be available to clients connecting with any configured name.

You can also create other resources in the groups, and MSCS will restart the resources if they fail. For more information on creating resources and groups, consult the MSCS Administrators Guide.