Creating a Failover Cluster or Adding a Cluster Node
Applies To: Windows Server 2008
Before you can configure the cluster for the first time or add a server (node) to an existing failover cluster, you need to take the following preparatory steps:
Install the failover cluster feature: You must install the failover cluster feature on any server that will become a server (node) in the cluster. For more information, see Install Failover Clustering.
Connect networks and storage: You must connect the networks and storage that the nodes will use. For details, see:
Validate the hardware configuration: We strongly recommend that you validate your hardware configuration (servers, network, and storage) before creating a cluster or adding a node to a cluster. To validate, you run a wizard. For more information, see Validate a New or Existing Failover Cluster.
Important
Microsoft supports a failover cluster solution only if the complete configuration (servers, network, and storage) can pass all tests in the Validate a Configuration wizard. In addition, all hardware components in the solution must be marked as "Certified for Windows Server 2008."
To see the preceding steps in the context of a checklist, see Checklist: Create a Failover Cluster.
The following topics describe how to create a failover cluster or add a server (node) to a failover cluster:
Additional references
Migrating Settings from a Server Cluster Running Windows Server 2003
For information about the maximum number of servers that you can have in a failover cluster, see https://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=92091.
For design and deployment information for failover clusters, see https://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=86168.