Running With And Without Clustering

[Graeme Davison]

Hi

We have a DL380G2 Packaged cluster which previously had 2000 advanced server on both nodes and running clustering. However due to an unknown fault which was never traced which was causing the servers to constantly fail over our reseller advised me to reinstall windows on both servers and we have been running without clustering ever since. Our current setup is that our Nodea has been freshly installed with 2003 enterprise edition, our other node still has 2000 advanced server installed and is the only node actually connected through the scsi cable to the shared storage. My question is this, can I temporarily switch off the 2000 node which everyone connects to, link the 2003 node to the shared storage, change the drive letters to be in sync and install clustering. Then I want to bring the other server back up as it stands so that everyone can continue on the network as normal. I then wanted to setup all the virtual fileserver shares etc on the 2003 server whilst the same folders are being shared out from the other server as normal with the actual server name in the UNC path as it is currently. Is this possible or will the folders be locked out from the 2000 server even though the cluster service is not installed. My plan was then to have everyone connect to the virtual IP addresses etc and run as a one node cluster then I can upgrade the other server and simply add it in at a later date to provide the redundancy. So basically can you have two servers connected to the shared storage whilst haveing one operating with clustering without any file lock / access errors and is the basic idea of what I am outlining possible. Oh and I am assuming the scsi cable isn't hot pluggable - i'll have to take both servers down whilst I connect up.

Thanks

Graeme Davison

[Doug de Werd · Accepted solution]

No this will NOT work, and you should not even try it. You will most likely corrupt all of the data on the shared storage.

If you share the files on the Windows 2000 server using the UNC name, and then try to set up the virtual file shares on the Windows 2003 node, you will have both nodes attempting to access the same disk volumes, which is a really bad thing - and will probably corrupt your data.

Your best bet is to schedule this during a time when you can be down for a while (maybe a couple of hours). Disconnect the SCSI cable from the Windows 2000 server and connect the one for 2003. Install clustering on the 2003 server (with the 2000 server turned off). Then have everyone access the file shares through the cluster (virtual IP, etc.). You can then install 2003 on the other server, connect it to the shared storage, and install clustering. Users can access their data on the clustered file shares while the other (2nd) server is being installed - but not he other way around (they should not access the non-clustered/UNC file shares while the cluster is being instaleld).

Hope this helps,
Doug

[Graeme Davison]

Hi

I have another related question on this subject. If you can't share out the same folder from two servers, does that mean I will have to create a batch file to remove every single share which is used by the windows 2000 server on the shared storage. Otherwise after it is upgraded to 2003 and the cable is reconnected inorder to install/configure cluster administrator, it will see the folders and attempt to reshare them as it did before.

Thanks

Graeme Davison

[Doug de Werd]

yes basically that's correct. You need to remove the shares at the W2K server, although if you have the W2003 server up and running - with clustering - the W2K server will not have access to the shares (although you will still need to remove them. Once the cluster SW is installed it will lock out the other server from accessing the disks. So once you have both servers with clustering installed, only one will own the disks with the shares on it. BTW, you also need to create the clustered shares and and the access rights via CLuster Administrator, otherwise they won't fail over properly. MS documentation should cover this pretty well.

Hope this helps,
Doug