Windows Failover Cluster
You can create a failover cluster using Windows Server on Google Cloud Platform (GCP). A group of servers works together to provide higher availability (HA) for your Windows applications. If one cluster node fails, another node can take over running the software. You can configure the failover to happen automatically, which is the usual configuration, or you can manually trigger a failover.
-->Applies to: Windows Server 2019, Windows Server 2016
A failover cluster is a group of independent computers that work together to increase the availability and scalability of clustered roles (formerly called clustered applications and services). The clustered servers (called nodes) are connected by physical cables and by software. If one or more of the cluster nodes fail, other nodes begin to provide service (a process known as failover). In addition, the clustered roles are proactively monitored to verify that they are working properly. If they are not working, they are restarted or moved to another node.
- Upgrading Windows Failover Cluster 2012R2 to 2016. NOTE:Yes, you can have windows server 2016 and windows server 2012R2 nodes participating in the same cluster. It’s called mixed mode, which is a new compatibility feature/enhancement introduced to transition from server 2012 R2 to 2016 without downtime.
- In a Windows Failover Cluster, Cluster Networks are created automatically by the Cluster Service for each configured subnet on any active network interfaces (NICs) on each node of the cluster. If a single node has a NIC configured with a subnet that is not configured on other nodes, a Cluster Network will be created even though it cannot be used by any nodes that do-not have an active NIC on it.
- So what are the features available to install for Failover Clustering? The Failover Cluster feature consists of the following components as shown by the Windows Server PowerShell CmdLet Get-WindowsFeature: Failover-Clustering (Failover Clustering) = This installs the core Failover Clustering feature and all fundamental requirements.
- Workgroup and Multi-domain clusters in Windows Server 2016. Previous versions of Windows Server along with 2012 R2, a cluster could only be created between member nodes joined to the same domain. Windows Server 2016 breaks down these barriers and introduces the ability to create a Failover Cluster without Active Directory dependencies.
Failover clusters also provide Cluster Shared Volume (CSV) functionality that provides a consistent, distributed namespace that clustered roles can use to access shared storage from all nodes. With the Failover Clustering feature, users experience a minimum of disruptions in service.
Failover Clustering has many practical applications, including:
- Highly available or continuously available file share storage for applications such as Microsoft SQL Server and Hyper-V virtual machines
- Highly available clustered roles that run on physical servers or on virtual machines that are installed on servers running Hyper-V
| Understand | Planning | Deployment |
|---|---|---|
| What's new in Failover Clustering | Planning Failover Clustering Hardware Requirements and Storage Options | Creating a Failover Cluster |
| Scale-Out File Server for application data | Use Cluster Shared Volumes (CSVs) | Deploy a two-node file server |
| Cluster and pool quorum | Using guest virtual machine clusters with Storage Spaces Direct | Prestage cluster computer objects in Active Directory Domain Services |
| Fault domain awareness | Configuring cluster accounts in Active Directory | |
| Simplified SMB Multichannel and multi-NIC cluster networks | Manage the quorum and witnesses | |
| VM load balancing | Deploy a cloud witness | |
| Cluster sets | Deploy a file share witness | |
| Cluster affinity | Cluster operating system rolling upgrades | |
| Upgrading a failover cluster on the same hardware | ||
| Deploy an Active Directory Detached Cluster |
| Manage | Tools and settings | Community resources |
|---|---|---|
| Cluster-Aware Updating | Failover Clustering PowerShell Cmdlets | High Availability (Clustering) Forum |
| Health Service | Cluster Aware Updating PowerShell Cmdlets | Failover Clustering and Network Load Balancing Team Blog |
| Cluster-domain migration | ||
| Troubleshooting using Windows Error Reporting |
In some cases, it may be necessary to uninstall and reinstall the Windows Failover Clustering feature on a server that is currently a member of a Failover Cluster. This can be done via either Server Manager, or PowerShell. Below are the steps to complete the process using each method. These instructions document the process for Windows Server 2012 R2, however the steps are similar for other versions of Windows.
Uninstall the Windows Failover Clustering feature via Server Manager
Complete the following steps with a user account that has administrative rights over the cluster, from any server that has access to the cluster. If the desired server is not listed, first add it by clicking Manage > Add Servers in Server Manager.
- In the Nodes view of Failover Cluster Manager, right-click on the node where the Failover Clustering feature is being uninstalled, select More Actions > Evict, and wait for the node to be removed from the Nodes view.
- Open Server Manager and click Manage > Remove Roles and Features.
- If prompted, click Next on the “Before you begin” window.
- Select the server where the Failover Clustering feature is being uninstalled, and click Next.
- Click Next on the “Remove server roles” window.
- On the “Remove features” window, deselect the checkbox next to “Failover Clustering” and click Next.
- If prompted, deselect the checkbox next to “Remove management tools (if applicable)” to retain the Failover Cluster Management Tools and PowerShell modules, if desired, and click Continue.
- On the “Remove features” window, click Next.
- Select the checkbox next to “Restart the destination server automatically if required”, and confirm that the server will be restarted if required if prompted before clicking Remove.
- The server will be rebooted when the feature is successfully removed.
Install/reinstall the Windows Failover Clustering feature and add the node to a cluster via Server Manager and Failover Cluster Manager
Complete the following steps with a user account that has administrative rights over the cluster, from any server that has access to the cluster. If the desired server is not listed, add it by clicking Manage>Add Servers in Server Manager.
- Open Server Manager and click Manage>Add Roles and Features.
- If prompted, click Next on the “Before you begin” and “Select installation type” windows, then select the server on which the Failover Clustering feature is to be installed.
- Click Next on the “Select server roles” window.
- Select Failover Clustering on the “Select features” window, and click Next.
- If prompted, select the checkbox next to “Include management tools (if applicable)” to install the Failover Cluster Management Tools and PowerShell modules, if desired, and click “Add Features”.
- Select the checkbox next to “Restart the destination server automatically if required”, and confirm that the server will be restarted if required if prompted before clicking Install.
- The server will be rebooted when the Feature is successfully installed.
- When the reboot is complete, open Failover Cluster Manager, Click “Add Node”, and follow the instructions in the “Add Node Wizard” to add the node to a cluster.
Uninstall the Windows Failover Clustering feature via PowerShell
Complete the following steps from an elevated PowerShell prompt with a user account that has administrative rights over the cluster, from any server that has local or remote access to the cluster. The baton rouge serial killer. If necessary, run the following commands first to import the Failover Clustering and Server Manager PowerShell modules:
Windows Failover Cluster Permissions
Import-Module FailoverClusters
Import-Module ServerManager
Once the modules have been loaded or verified:
- Run the following command to evict the node where the Failover Clustering feature is being uninstalled:
Remove-ClusterNode -Cluster <clustername> <nodename>- Select Yes if prompted for confirmation.
- Run the following command to confirm that the desired node is not listed as a member of the cluster:
Get-ClusterNode -Cluster <clustername> - Run the following command to remove the Failover Clustering feature from and reboot the desired node:
Remove-WindowsFeature Failover-Clustering -ComputerName <nodename> -Restart
Install or reinstall the Windows Failover Clustering feature and add the node back to the cluster via PowerShell
Complete the following steps from an elevated PowerShell prompt with a user account that has administrative rights over the cluster, from any server that has local or remote access to the cluster. If necessary, run the following commands first to import the Failover Clustering and Server Manager PowerShell modules:
Windows Failover Cluster Emc Unity
Import-Module FailoverClusters
Import-Module ServerManager
Once the modules have been loaded or verified:
- Run the following command to remove the Failover Clustering feature from and reboot the desired node:
Install-WindowsFeature Failover-Clustering -ComputerName <nodename> -Restart - When the reboot is complete, run the following command to add the node back to a cluster:
Add-ClusterNode -Cluster <clustername> <nodename> - Run the following command to confirm that the desired node is listed as a member of the cluster:
Get-ClusterNode -Cluster <clustername>
I hope you find this information useful. Happy clustering!
Windows Failover Cluster 2016
Eriq Stern
Support Escalation Engineer
Windows High Availability Team