May 12 2020 12/05/2020 12/05/2020 by Pablo Villaronga

Deploying a two-node clustered file server

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Applies to: Windows Server 2019, Windows Server 2016

A failover cluster is a group of independent computers that work together to increase the availability of applications and services. The clustered servers (called nodes) are connected by physical cables and by software. If one of the cluster nodes fails, another node begins to provide service (a process known as failover). Users experience a minimum of disruptions in service.

This guide describes the steps for installing and configuring a general purpose file server failover cluster that has two nodes. By creating the configuration in this guide, you can learn about failover clusters and familiarize yourself with the Failover Cluster Management snap-in interface in Windows Server 2019 or Windows Server 2016.

Overview for a two-node file server cluster

Servers in a failover cluster can function in a variety of roles, including the roles of file server, Hyper-V server, or database server, and can provide high availability for a variety of other services and applications. This guide describes how to configure a two-node file server cluster.

A failover cluster usually includes a storage unit that is physically connected to all the servers in the cluster, although any given volume in the storage is only accessed by one server at a time. The following diagram shows a two-node failover cluster connected to a storage unit.

Two Node Cluster

Storage volumes or logical unit numbers (LUNs) exposed to the nodes in a cluster must not be exposed to other servers, including servers in another cluster. The following diagram illustrates this.

LUNs in Storage

Note that for the maximum availability of any server, it is important to follow best practices for server management—for example, carefully managing the physical environment of the servers, testing software changes before fully implementing them, and carefully keeping track of software updates and configuration changes on all clustered servers.

The following scenario describes how a file server failover cluster can be configured. The files being shared are on the cluster storage, and either clustered server can act as the file server that shares them.

Shared folders in a failover cluster

The following list describes shared folder configuration functionality that is integrated into failover clustering:

  • Display is scoped to clustered shared folders only (no mixing with non-clustered shared folders): When a user views shared folders by specifying the path of a clustered file server, the display will include only the shared folders that are part of the specific file server role. It will exclude non-clustered shared folders and shares part of separate file server roles that happen to be on a node of the cluster.
  • Access-based enumeration: You can use access-based enumeration to hide a specified folder from users’ view. Instead of allowing users to see the folder but not access anything on it, you can choose to prevent them from seeing the folder at all. You can configure access-based enumeration for a clustered shared folder in the same way as for a non-clustered shared folder.
  • Offline access: You can configure offline access (caching) for a clustered shared folder in the same way as for a nonclustered shared folder.
  • Clustered disks are always recognized as part of the cluster: Whether you use the failover cluster interface, Windows Explorer, or the Share and Storage Management snap-in, Windows recognizes whether a disk has been designated as being in the cluster storage. If such a disk has already been configured in Failover Cluster Management as part of a clustered file server, you can then use any of the previously mentioned interfaces to create a share on the disk. If such a disk has not been configured as part of a clustered file server, you cannot mistakenly create a share on it. Instead, an error indicates that the disk must first be configured as part of a clustered file server before it can be shared.
  • Integration of Services for Network File System: The File Server role in Windows Server includes the optional role service called Services for Network File System (NFS). By installing the role service and configuring shared folders with Services for NFS, you can create a clustered file server that supports UNIX-based clients.

Requirements for a two-node failover cluster

For a failover cluster in Windows Server 2016 or Windows Server 2019 to be considered an officially supported solution by Microsoft, the solution must meet the following criteria.

  • All hardware and software components must meet the qualifications for the appropriate logo. For Windows Server 2016, this is the “Certified for Windows Server 2016” logo. For Windows Server 2019, this is the “Certified for Windows Server 2019” logo. For more information about what hardware and software systems have been certified, please visit the Microsoft Windows Server Catalog site.
  • The fully configured solution (servers, network, and storage) must pass all tests in the validation wizard, which is part of the failover cluster snap-in.

The following will be needed for a two-node failover cluster.

  • Servers: We recommend using matching computers with the same or similar components. The servers for a two-node failover cluster must run the same version of Windows Server. They should also have the same software updates (patches).
  • Network Adapters and cable: The network hardware, like other components in the failover cluster solution, must be compatible with Windows Server 2016 or Windows Server 2019. If you use iSCSI, the network adapters must be dedicated to either network communication or iSCSI, not both. In the network infrastructure that connects your cluster nodes, avoid having single points of failure. There are multiple ways of accomplishing this. You can connect your cluster nodes by multiple, distinct networks. Alternatively, you can connect your cluster nodes with one network that is constructed with teamed network adapters, redundant switches, redundant routers, or similar hardware that removes single points of failure. Note If the cluster nodes are connected with a single network, the network will pass the redundancy requirement in the Validate a Configuration wizard. However, the report will include a warning that the network should not have a single point of failure.
  • Device Controllers or appropriate adapters for storage:
    • Serial Attached SCSI or Fibre Channel: If you are using Serial Attached SCSI or Fibre Channel, in all clustered servers, all components of the storage stack should be identical. It is required that the multipath I/O (MPIO) software and Device Specific Module (DSM) software components be identical. It is recommended that the mass-storage device controllers—that is, the host bus adapter (HBA), HBA drivers, and HBA firmware—that are attached to cluster storage be identical. If you use dissimilar HBAs, you should verify with the storage vendor that you are following their supported or recommended configurations.
    • iSCSI: If you are using iSCSI, each clustered server must have one or more network adapters or host bus adapters that are dedicated to the ISCSI storage. The network you use for iSCSI cannot be used for network communication. In all clustered servers, the network adapters you use to connect to the iSCSI storage target should be identical, and we recommend that you use Gigabit Ethernet or higher.
  • Storage: You must use shared storage that is certified for Windows Server 2016 or Windows Server 2019. For a two-node failover cluster, the storage should contain at least two separate volumes (LUNs) if using a witness disk for quorum. The witness disk is a disk in the cluster storage that is designated to hold a copy of the cluster configuration database. For this two-node cluster example, the quorum configuration will be Node and Disk Majority. Node and Disk Majority means that the nodes and the witness disk each contain copies of the cluster configuration, and the cluster has quorum as long as a majority (two out of three) of these copies are available. The other volume (LUN) will contain the files that are being shared to users. Storage requirements include the following:
    • To use the native disk support included in failover clustering, use basic disks, not dynamic disks.
    • We recommend that you format the partitions with NTFS (for the witness disk, the partition must be NTFS).
    • For the partition style of the disk, you can use either master boot record (MBR) or GUID partition table (GPT).
    • The storage must respond correctly to specific SCSI commands, the storage must follow the standard called SCSI Primary Commands-3 (SPC-3). In particular, the storage must support Persistent Reservations as specified in the SPC-3 standard.
    • The miniport driver used for the storage must work with the Microsoft Storport storage driver.

Deploying storage area networks with failover clusters

When deploying a storage area network (SAN) with a failover cluster, the following guidelines should be observed.

  • Confirm certification of the storage: Using the Windows Server Catalog site, confirm the vendor’s storage, including drivers, firmware and software, is certified for Windows Server 2016 or Windows Server 2019.
  • Isolate storage devices, one cluster per device: Servers from different clusters must not be able to access the same storage devices. In most cases, a LUN that is used for one set of cluster servers should be isolated from all other servers through LUN masking or zoning.
  • Consider using multipath I/O software: In a highly available storage fabric, you can deploy failover clusters with multiple host bus adapters by using multipath I/O software. This provides the highest level of redundancy and availability. The multipath solution must be based on Microsoft Multipath I/O (MPIO). The storage hardware vendor may supply an MPIO device-specific module (DSM) for your hardware, although Windows Server 2016 and Windows Server 2019 include one or more DSMs as part of the operating system.

Network infrastructure and domain account requirements

You will need the following network infrastructure for a two-node failover cluster and an administrative account with the following domain permissions:

  • Network settings and IP addresses: When you use identical network adapters for a network, also use identical communication settings on those adapters (for example, Speed, Duplex Mode, Flow Control, and Media Type). Also, compare the settings between the network adapter and the switch it connects to and make sure that no settings are in conflict. If you have private networks that are not routed to the rest of your network infrastructure, ensure that each of these private networks uses a unique subnet. This is necessary even if you give each network adapter a unique IP address. For example, if you have a cluster node in a central office that uses one physical network, and another node in a branch office that uses a separate physical network, do not specify 10.0.0.0/24 for both networks, even if you give each adapter a unique IP address. For more information about the network adapters, see Hardware requirements for a two-node failover cluster, earlier in this guide.
  • DNS: The servers in the cluster must be using Domain Name System (DNS) for name resolution. The DNS dynamic update protocol can be used.
  • Domain role: All servers in the cluster must be in the same Active Directory domain. As a best practice, all clustered servers should have the same domain role (either member server or domain controller). The recommended role is member server.
  • Domain controller: We recommend that your clustered servers be member servers. If they are, you need an additional server that acts as the domain controller in the domain that contains your failover cluster.
  • Clients: As needed for testing, you can connect one or more networked clients to the failover cluster that you create, and observe the effect on a client when you move or fail over the clustered file server from one cluster node to the other.
  • Account for administering the cluster: When you first create a cluster or add servers to it, you must be logged on to the domain with an account that has administrator rights and permissions on all servers in that cluster. The account does not need to be a Domain Admins account, but can be a Domain Users account that is in the Administrators group on each clustered server. In addition, if the account is not a Domain Admins account, the account (or the group that the account is a member of) must be given the Create Computer Objects and Read All Properties permissions in the domain organizational unit (OU) that is will reside in.

Steps for installing a two-node file server cluster

You must complete the following steps to install a two-node file server failover cluster.

Step 1: Connect the cluster servers to the networks and storage

Step 2: Install the failover cluster feature

Step 3: Validate the cluster configuration

Step 4: Create the cluster

If you have already installed the cluster nodes and want to configure a file server failover cluster, see Steps for configuring a two-node file server cluster, later in this guide.

Step 1: Connect the cluster servers to the networks and storage

For a failover cluster network, avoid having single points of failure. There are multiple ways of accomplishing this. You can connect your cluster nodes by multiple, distinct networks. Alternatively, you can connect your cluster nodes with one network that is constructed with teamed network adapters, redundant switches, redundant routers, or similar hardware that removes single points of failure (If you use a network for iSCSI, you must create this network in addition to the other networks).

For a two-node file server cluster, when you connect the servers to the cluster storage, you must expose at least two volumes (LUNs). You can expose additional volumes as needed for thorough testing of your configuration. Do not expose the clustered volumes to servers that are not in the cluster.

To connect the cluster servers to the networks and storage

  1. Review the details about networks in Hardware requirements for a two-node failover cluster and Network infrastructure and domain account requirements for a two-node failover cluster, earlier in this guide.
  2. Connect and configure the networks that the servers in the cluster will use.
  3. If your test configuration includes clients or a non-clustered domain controller, make sure that these computers can connect to the clustered servers through at least one network.
  4. Follow the manufacturer’s instructions for physically connecting the servers to the storage.
  5. Ensure that the disks (LUNs) that you want to use in the cluster are exposed to the servers that you will cluster (and only those servers). You can use any of the following interfaces to expose disks or LUNs:
    • The interface provided by the manufacturer of the storage.
    • If you are using iSCSI, an appropriate iSCSI interface.
  6. If you have purchased software that controls the format or function of the disk, follow instructions from the vendor about how to use that software with Windows Server.
  7. On one of the servers that you want to cluster, click Start, click Administrative Tools, click Computer Management, and then click Disk Management. (If the User Account Control dialog box appears, confirm that the action it displays is what you want, and then click Continue.) In Disk Management, confirm that the cluster disks are visible.
  8. If you want to have a storage volume larger than 2 terabytes, and you are using the Windows interface to control the format of the disk, convert that disk to the partition style called GUID partition table (GPT). To do this, back up any data on the disk, delete all volumes on the disk and then, in Disk Management, right-click the disk (not a partition) and click Convert to GPT Disk. For volumes smaller than 2 terabytes, instead of using GPT, you can use the partition style called master boot record (MBR).
  9. Check the format of any exposed volume or LUN. We recommend NTFS for the format (for the witness disk, you must use NTFS).

Step 2: Install the file server role and failover cluster feature

In this step, the file server role and failover cluster feature will be installed. Both servers must be running either Windows Server 2016 or Windows Server 2019.

Using Server Manager

  1. Open Server Manager and under the Manage drop down, select Add Roles and Features. Add Feature
  2. If the Before you begin window opens, choose Next.
  3. For the Installation Type, select Role-based or feature-based installation and Next.
  4. Ensure Select a server from the server pool is selected, the name of the machine is highlighted, and Next.
  5. For the Server Role, from the list of roles, open File Services, select File Server, and Next. Add Role
  6. For the Features, from the list of features, select Failover Clustering. A popup dialog will show that lists the administration tools also being installed. Keep all the selected, choose Add Features and Next. Add Feature
  7. On the Confirmation page, select Install.
  8. Once the installation completes, restart the computer.
  9. Repeat the steps on the second machine.

Using PowerShell

  1. Open an administrative PowerShell session by right-clicking the Start button and then selecting Windows PowerShell (Admin).
  2. To install the File Server Role, run the command: PowerShell
Install-WindowsFeature -Name FS-FileServer

To install the Failover Clustering feature and its management tools, run the command: PowerShell

Install-WindowsFeature -Name Failover-Clustering -IncludeManagementTools

Once they have completed, you can verify they are installed with the commands: PowerShell

Get-WindowsFeature -Name FS-FileServer
Get-WindowsFeature -Name Failover-Clustering

Once verified they are installed, restart the machine with the command: PowerShell

  1. Restart-Computer
  2. Repeat the steps on the second server.

Step 3: Validate the cluster configuration

Before creating a cluster, we strongly recommend that you validate your configuration. Validation helps you confirm that the configuration of your servers, network, and storage meets a set of specific requirements for failover clusters.

Using Failover Cluster Manager

  1. From Server Manager, choose the Tools drop down and select Failover Cluster Manager.
  2. In Failover Cluster Manager, go to the middle column under Management and choose Validate Configuration.
  3. If the Before you begin window opens, choose Next.
  4. In the Select Servers or a Cluster window, add in the names of the two machines that will be the nodes of the cluster. For example, if the names are NODE1 and NODE2, enter the name and select Add. You can also choose the Browse button to search Active Directory for the names. Once both are listed under Selected Servers, choose Next.
  5. In the Testing Options window, select Run all tests (recommended), and Next.
  6. On the Confirmation page, it will give you the listing of all the tests it will check. Choose Next and the tests will begin.
  7. Once completed, the Summary page appears after the tests run. To view Help topics that will help you interpret the results, click More about cluster validation tests.
  8. While still on the Summary page, click View Report and read the test results. Make any necessary changes in the configuration and rerun the tests.
    To view the results of the tests after you close the wizard, see SystemRoot\Cluster\Reports\Validation Report date and time.html.
  9. To view Help topics about cluster validation after you close the wizard, in Failover Cluster Management, click Help, click Help Topics, click the Contents tab, expand the contents for the failover cluster Help, and click Validating a Failover Cluster Configuration.

Using PowerShell

  1. Open an administrative PowerShell session by right-clicking the Start button and then selecting Windows PowerShell (Admin).
  2. To validate the machines (for example, the machine names being NODE1 and NODE2) for Failover Clustering, run the command: PowerShell
  1. Test-Cluster -Node "NODE1","NODE2"
  2. To view the results of the tests after you close the wizard, see the file specified (in SystemRoot\Cluster\Reports), then make any necessary changes in the configuration and rerun the tests.

For more info, see Validating a Failover Cluster Configuration.

Step 4: Create the Cluster

The following will create a cluster out of the machines and configuration you have.

Using Failover Cluster Manager

  1. From Server Manager, choose the Tools drop down and select Failover Cluster Manager.
  2. In Failover Cluster Manager, go to the middle column under Management and choose Create Cluster.
  3. If the Before you begin window opens, choose Next.
  4. In the Select Servers window, add in the names of the two machines that will be the nodes of the cluster. For example, if the names are NODE1 and NODE2, enter the name and select Add. You can also choose the Browse button to search Active Directory for the names. Once both are listed under Selected Servers, choose Next.
  5. In the Access Point for Administering the Cluster window, input the name of the cluster you will be using. Please note that this is not the name you will be using to connect to your file shares with. This is for simply administrating the cluster. Note If you are using static IP Addresses, you will need to select the network to use and input the IP Address it will use for the cluster name. If you are using DHCP for your IP Addresses, the IP Address will be configured automatically for you.
  6. Choose Next.
  7. On the Confirmation page, verify what you have configured and select Next to create the Cluster.
  8. On the Summary page, it will give you the configuration it has created. You can select View Report to see the report of the creation.

Using PowerShell

  1. Open an administrative PowerShell session by right-clicking the Start button and then selecting Windows PowerShell (Admin).
  2. Run the following command to create the cluster if you are using static IP Addresses. For example, the machine names are NODE1 and NODE2, the name of the cluster will be CLUSTER, and the IP Address will be 1.1.1.1. PowerShell
 New-Cluster -Name CLUSTER -Node "NODE1","NODE2" -StaticAddress 1.1.1.1

Run the following command to create the cluster if you are using DHCP for IP Addresses. For example, the machine names are NODE1 and NODE2, and the name of the cluster will be CLUSTER. PowerShell

  1. New-Cluster -Name CLUSTER -Node "NODE1","NODE2"

Steps for configuring a file server failover cluster

To configure a file server failover cluster, follow the below steps.

  1. From Server Manager, choose the Tools drop down and select Failover Cluster Manager.
  2. When Failover Cluster Manager opens, it should automatically bring in the name of the cluster you created. If it does not, go to the middle column under Management and choose Connect to Cluster. Input the name of the cluster you created and OK.
  3. In the console tree, click the “>” sign next to the cluster that you created to expand the items underneath it.
  4. Right mouse click on Roles and select Configure Role.
  5. If the Before you begin window opens, choose Next.
  6. In the list of roles, choose File Server and Next.
  7. For the File Server Type, select File Server for general use and Next.
    For info about Scale-Out File Server, see Scale-Out File Server overview. File Server Type
  8. In the Client Access Point window, input the name of the file server you will be using. Please note that this is not the name of the cluster. This is for the file share connectivity. For example, if I want to connect to \SERVER, the name inputted would be SERVER. Note If you are using static IP Addresses, you will need to select the network to use and input the IP Address it will use for the cluster name. If you are using DHCP for your IP Addresses, the IP Address will be configured automatically for you.
  9. Choose Next.
  10. In the Select Storage window, select the additional drive (not the witness) that will hold your shares and Next.
  11. On the Confirmation page, verify your configuration and select Next.
  12. On the Summary page, it will give you the configuration it has created. You can select View Report to see the report of the file server role creation.
  13. Under Roles in the console tree, you will see the new role you created listed as the name you created. With it highlighted, under the Actions pane on the right, choose Add a share.
  14. Run through the share wizard inputting the following:
    • Type of share it will be
    • Location/path the folder shared will be
    • The name of the share users will connect to
    • Additional settings such as Access-based enumeration, caching, encryption, etc
    • File level permissions if they will be other than the defaults
  15. On the Confirmation page, verify what you have configured and select Create to create the file server share.
  16. On the Results page, select Close if it created the share. If it could not create the share, it will give you the errors incurred.
  17. Choose Close.
  18. Repeat this process for any additional shares.