How to configure two node Windows Server 2012 cluster on Virtual Machines for testing?

In this blog post, I walk you through the steps to quickly setup windows server 2012 cluster on virtual machines in test lab.

To start with, we need 3 windows server 2012 virtual machines. Out of 3, one will be used as an iSCSI target (details on iSCSI target) and other two will be part of the two node windows cluster.

Step 1: Configure iSCSI target

Pre-requisite

  • Created Virtual Machine with Windows Server 2012 OS
  • Joined to my test lab domain
  • Added extra virtual hard disk (100 GB) to this machine which I will use as shared storage

Install the iSCSI Target Server feature

  • Add Roles and Features Wizard -> Server Roles -> File and Storage Services -> File and iSCSI Service
  • Select iSCSI Target Server and then click on Add Features

 

  

  • Restart the virtual machine to complete the feature installation.

 Start iSCSI Initiator on the two Cluster nodes

  • Server Manager -> Tools -> Click on the iSCSI Initiator
  • Click on yes to start the iSCSI service and then click on OK on iSCSI Initiator property window

 

Configure iSCSI Target Server

  • Server Manager -> File and Storage Services -> iSCSI

 

 

  • Click on “To Create an iSCSI virtual disk, start the new iSCSI virtual Disk Wizard”.

This disk will be used as a shared disk on the two cluster nodes.

  • Select the storage location and click Next

 

  • Provide the name for this iSCSI virtual disk
  • Specify iSCSI virtual disk size

 

  • Create the iSCSI target

 

  • Provide the suitable name for iSCSI target, I’m using server name as iSCSI target name
  • Add the servers who can access this iSCSI storage

 

  

  • Click Next on Enable Authentication
  • Click create on Confirmation tab and on successful completion, you will see below screen

 

Configure iSCSI initiator on both nodes

  • Server Manager -> Tools -> iSCSI initiator
  • Type the target server name and click on Quick Connect

 

  • If connection successful, you will see below screen

 

Configure the Disks on the iSCSI initiators i.e. Cluster Nodes

  • Server Manager -> Computer Management -> Disk Management
  • Select the disk and make it online and then initialize it.

 

 

 

  • Create the simple volume
  • Also on other node, make the disk online
  • Now this disk will be visible on both the nodes

Installing Windows Cluster

  • On Both the nodes install Failover Clustering feature from Server Manager -> Add Roles and Features -> Features
  • Login to one of the node and open the Failover cluster Manager (Server Manager -> Tools)
  • Click on Validate configuration
  • Add both the node names and run the validation test.

 

  • After validation tests are successful, click on finish to create the cluster

 

  • Provide the suitable name for your cluster

 

  • Click Next on Confirmation and Create New Cluster tabs and click on finish once the creation is complete.

 

Now cluster is ready to use, have fun!