Set up failover cluster nodes

This procedure describes how to set up a failover cluster node using the Failover Cluster Manager in Microsoft Server 2022 (other versions may differ). Note that each failover node in the cluster should be configured in the same way.

On each failover cluster node, do the following:

1. Install the Failover Clustering feature:

   1. Open Server Manager on each node.

   2. Select the Manage menu. Then select Add Roles and Features.

   3. Select role-based or feature-based installation. Then select the appropriate server.

   4. Under Features, select Failover Clustering.

   5. Select Next and then select Install to add the feature.

2. Validate the cluster configuration:

   Important: Microsoft strongly recommends running cluster validation before creating the cluster.

   1. In the Failover Cluster Manager, select Validate Configuration.

   2. Add all nodes that you want to include in the cluster.

   3. Select Run all tests for a comprehensive validation (storage, networking, and systems).

   4. Review the report to ensure there are no critical issues. If there are issues, fix them before proceeding.

3. Create the cluster:

   1. In the Failover Cluster Manager, select Create Cluster.

   2. Add the servers to include in the cluster.

   3. Enter a Cluster Name and Cluster IP Address.

   4. Review the settings, then select Next and Finish to create the cluster.

4. Configure the cluster quorum settings:

   The quorum configuration is critical for cluster availability and stability. In most cases, Windows Server 2022 automatically chooses an appropriate quorum configuration, but you can adjust this based on your environment.

   1. In the Failover Cluster Manager, select More Actions, and then select Configure Cluster Quorum Settings.

   2. Select a quorum type based on your infrastructure:

      • Node Majority: Used when there is an odd number of nodes.

      • Node and Disk Majority: Requires shared storage for a disk witness.

      • Node and File Share Majority: Requires a file share witness for clusters without shared storage.

   3. Follow the prompts to set up the quorum. For detailed information, refer to the Microsoft documentation.

5. Add Cluster roles (services and applications):

   1. In the Failover Cluster Manager, select Roles.

   2. In the Actions pane, select Configure Role.

   3. Choose the type of role or application you want to add (File Server, Hyper-V, or SQL Server).

   4. Depending the role selected, follow the prompts to complete the setup and assign resources to the role. For detailed information, refer to the Microsoft documentation.

6. (Optional) If you are using Hyper-V or applications that require cluster shared volumes (CSV), configure CSV:

   1. In the Failover Cluster Manager, right-click on Disks and select Add Disk to add available shared disks.

   2. Right-click the disk and select Add to Cluster Shared Volumes.

   3. The disk will be mounted under C:\ClusterStorage and accessible to all cluster nodes.

7. Test failover for each configured role:

   1. Open the Failover Cluster Manager.

   2. Select Roles.

   3. Right-click the role, select Move, and then Select Node to manually failover the role to another node.

   4. Verify that the service or application fails over smoothly and remains functional.

   5. Repeat the test for each configured role to ensure high availability across all cluster nodes.

8. Select and access the tools that will be used to monitor and manage the cluster:

   • Failover Cluster Manager: Provides a central interface to monitor cluster status, health, and events.

   • Cluster Logs: Use Get-ClusterLog in PowerShell to generate and review cluster logs.

   • Windows Admin Center: Provides an enhanced management experience, allowing you to monitor performance, set alerts, and manage roles remotely.