SQL Server 2008 setup may report a Windows 2008 cluster validation failure

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You may receive the error "The cluster either has not been verified or there are errors or failures in the verification report" while installing a SQL Server clustered installation on Windows 2008. When see this error you must fix the underlying error that caused Windows validation to fail. Even though in some cases you could avoid the error and continue SQL Server setup with the undocumented SkipRules setting, this is not advisable and will leave you in an unsupported state (unless you are using a geo cluster with no shared storage).

 

The Microsoft Support Policy for Windows Server 2008 Failover Clusters

https://support.microsoft.com/kb/943984

For the Windows Server 2008 Failover Clustering solution to be considered an officially supported solution by Microsoft Customer Support Services (CSS), the solution must meet the following criteria:

· All hardware and software components must meet the qualifications to receive a “Certified for Windows Server 2008” logo.

· The fully configured solution must pass the Validate test in the Failover Clusters Management snap-in.

 

Failover Cluster Step-by-Step Guide: Validating Hardware for a Failover Cluster

https://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/cc732035(WS.10).aspx

What to do if validation tests fail

In most cases, if any tests in the cluster validation wizard fail, then Microsoft does not consider the solution to be supported. There are exceptions to this rule, such as the case with multi-site (geographically dispersed) clusters where there is no shared storage. In this scenario the expected result of the validation wizard is that the storage tests will fail. This is still a supported solution if the remainder of the tests complete successfully.

Error message when you install SQL Server 2008 on a Windows Server 2008-based cluster: "The cluster either has not been verified or there are errors or failures in the verification report. Refer to KB953748 or SQL server books online"

https://support.microsoft.com/kb/953748

What to do if validation tests fail

In most cases, if any tests in the cluster validation rule fail, Microsoft does not consider the solution to be supported. There are exceptions to this rule, such as the case with multiple-site (geographically dispersed) clusters where there is no shared storage. In this scenario, the expected result of the cluster validation wizard is that the storage tests will fail. This is still a supported solution if the rest of the tests finish successfully.