Table of Contents

Overview

Failover cluster allows us to failover all services and the IP from one server to the other. As normal, firstly we have to enable and install it, as it is not installed by default:

Enable

To enable the failover, we have to follow very similar procedure as with the LDAP:

  1. Server Manager → Manager → Add Roles & Features
  2. Before you begin → Next
  3. Installation Type → Press the Role based or Feature based radio button → Next
  4. Server Select → Select the server you wish to install it too → Next
  5. Server Roles → Next
  6. Features → Click on the “Failover clustering” → Add features
  7. Confirmation → Tick on the “Restart destination server automatically if required” → Next
  8. Results → Wait a little → Close

Configuration

To configure the failover cluster, again via the server manager :) .

  1. Server manager → Tools→ Failover Cluster Manager
  2. Failover Cluster Manager → Action → Create Cluster
  3. Before you begin → Next
  4. Select Servers → Add all servers (winnodea and winnodeb in our case)
  5. Validation Tests → Up to you → Next
  6. (In case you selected “YES) → Just click Next → Next → Next :)
  7. Access Points for Administering the Cluster → Choose the Cluster Name → Next
  8. Confirmation → Next
  9. Prerequisites Check → Next
  10. Completed → Close

I had to create a 3rd server. WINNODEC and addining it to the domain: SQLDOM.COM, since WINNODEA and WINNODEB were in different organizational unit (OU). With winnodeA being Domain controler and winnodeB being part of the cluster.

After creating the 3rd server, installing failover capabilities and adding it to the domain. All tests passed :) Exept the single network ones.

Now we have empty failover cluster without any disk failovers or IP failovers or storage pool:

I have also allowed communication between the servers on LDAP level and made them trusted for delegation of service: