IT Pro Windows Server 2012 Lab Part 3 - Continuously Available File Shares

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In this lab, you will see how the new, continuously available file server in Windows Server 2012 allows user sessions to move from one file server node to another without any downtime. In this lab you will create the entire cluster environment starting with the configuration of the iSCSI storage and then the creation of the 2-node cluster. Once the cluster is complete, you will create the necessary cluster resources.

This lab assumes that you have completed these prior labs found here:
Lab Guide – Windows 2012 RTM Install and Configure Windows and Hyper-V

Word Version: https://aka.ms/tplabguideword

PDF Version: https://aka.ms/tplabguidepdf

Lab Guide – Windows 2012 Storage

Word Version: https://aka.ms/tplabguide2word

PDF Version: https://aka.ms/tplabguide2pdf

Also for offline use, this Continuously Available File Shares lab document can be downloaded here:

Word Version: https://aka.ms/tplabguide3word

PDF Version: https://aka.ms/tplabguide3pdf

In this series of exercises, you will explore the following:
• Configuring iSCSI Target software.
• Create a 2-node failover cluster.
• Moving file server traffic to a different cluster node, without interruption of network services.

This lab requires the following host computers and virtual machines.

Host Computers:

Your Hyper-V Host machine

?      Host Name:  [Various]

?      OS:  Windows Server 2012

?      Primary Roles:  Hyper-V Server

Virtual Machines:

  • DC

?      OS: Windows Server 2012

?      Primary Roles: Domain Controller

?      Additional Roles: DNS

  • Storage

?      OS: Windows Server 2012

?      Primary Roles: File and Storage Services

  • Cluster1

?      OS: Windows Server 2012

?      Primary Role: Failover Clustering

?      Ensure that a Windows Server 2012 .ISO file is mounted on Cluster1 as drive D:

  • Cluster2

?      OS: Windows Server 2012

?      Primary Role: Failover Clustering

Tasks in this Lab Module

1)      Add additional hardware to prepare for failover clustering.

2)      Create a 2-node Failover Cluster (Part 1: Configure Storage).

3)      Create a 2-node Failover Cluster (Part 2: Configure Cluster1 and Cluster2).

4)      Connect to an existing failover cluster.

5)      Configure Highly Available File Share.

6)      Transfer file server traffic to a different cluster node, without interruption of network services.

Part 1 - Add additional hardware to prepare for failover clustering.

  1. Log on to Hyper-V host as Administrator.
  2. Start Hyper-V Manager
  3. Apply original snapshots for DC, Storage, Cluster1 and Cluster2.
  4. In Hyper-V Manager, create a new Hard Disk.
    1. Format:  VHDX
      Disk Type: Dynamically Expanding
      Name: StorageDisk.vhdx
      Location: D:\Images\Storage
      Size: 127 GB
  5. Go to settings for Storage
    1. Select SCSI Controller in left panel; Click Hard Drive in right pane and click Add.
    2. Browse to StorageDisk.vhdx and Add it in.
  6. Go to settings for Cluster1
    1. Add Network Adapter and connect it to IT Heartbeat.
  7. Go to settings for Cluster2
    1. Add Network Adapter and connect it to IT Heartbeat.

Part 2 - Create a 2-node Failover Cluster (Part 1: Configure Storage).

  1. Start all four Virtual Machines.
  2. Log onto Storage as a Domain Administrator.
  3. From Server Manager, click Tools and then Computer Management.
  4. Select Disk Management, right click Disk 1 and select Online.
  5. Right Click Disk 1 and select Initialize | Initialize as MBR.
  6. Create and format a new simple volume on Disk 1.
  7. In Server Manager Dashboard, Select Add roles and features.
  8. Add iSCSI Target Server (part of File and Storage Services | File and iSCSI Services)
  9. From Server Manager, select File and Storage Services | iSCSI.
  10. In the iSCSI Virtual Disk section, select New iSCSI Virtual Disk from the Tasks Drop down menu.
  11. Create iSCSI Virtual Disk and iSCSI Target with the following parameters:
    1. Storage Location: Volume E:
      Name: “Quorum”
      Size: 1 GB
    2. New iSCSI Target
      Name: ClusterStorage
      Add Initiator ID by IP Address Type: 192.168.1.21  and 192.168.1.22
  12. Create another iSCSI Virtual Disk and add to existing iSCSI Target
    1. Storage Location: Volume E:
      Name: “Storage”
      Size: 50 GB
      Existing iSCSI Target: ClusterStorage

3)  Create a 2-node Failover Cluster (Part 2: Configure Cluster1 and Cluster2).

  1. Log onto Cluster1 as Domain Administrator.
  2. Configure IP Address for newly added adapter with the following IP v4 information:
    1. IP Address: 192.168.11.21
      Subnet Mask: 255.255.255.0
      DNS: 192.168.11.10
  3. In Server Manager, click Tools and then iSCSI Initiator.
    1. Click Yes to prompt.
  4. Type 192.168.1.11 for Target and click Quick Connect and then Done.
  5. From the Volumes and Devices Tab click Auto Configure and then click OK.
  6. From Computer Management | Disk Management, Bring the two new disks online, initialize them and Create and format a simple volume on each of the two disks.
  7. Install the File Server role, and the Failover Clustering feature (and default dependencies).
  8. Log onto Cluster2 as a Domain Administrator.
  9. Configure IP Address for newly added adapter with the following IP v4 information:
    1. IP Address: 192.168.11.22
      Subnet Mask: 255.255.255.0
      DNS: 192.168.11.10
  10. In Server Manager, click Tools and then iSCSI Initiator.
    1. Click Yes to prompt.
  11. Type 192.168.1.11 for Target and click Quick Connect and then Done.
  12. From the Volumes and Devices Tab click Auto Configure and then click OK.
  13. From Computer Management | Disk Management, Bring the two new disks online.
  14. Install the File Server role, and the Failover Clustering feature (and default dependencies).
  15. Switch to Cluster1.
  16. Start Failover Cluster Manager
    1. In the Actions Pane, click Create Cluster.
    2. Add Cluster1 and Cluster2 to the cluster.
    3. Run the Validation Wizard and run all tests.  (Be patient.  It takes a while.)
      Click Finished when complete.
    4. Create the cluster with the following information:
      1. Cluster name: MainCluster
        IP Address: 192.168.1.50
        Uncheck the 192.168.11.0/24 network
        Check Add all available storage to the cluster.
      2. Expand MainCluster | Storage and click Disks.
      3. Right Click Cluster Disk 2 (not the Quorum disk) and select Add to Cluster Shared Volumes
    5. Close Failover Cluster Manager

4)  Connect to an existing failover cluster.

  1. If not already logged in, log into Cluster1 as a Domain Administrator.
  2. From the Taskbar, open Server Manager.
  3. In Server Manager, click Tools, and then click Failover Cluster Manager.
  4. Expand MainCluster.[yourdomain] , and expand all Nodes, Storage and Networks.
  5. Take a few minutes and explore the environment (but don’t make any changes).

5)     Configure Highly Available File Share.

  1. Mount Windows Server 2012 ISO image into VM
  2. In Failover Cluster Manager, click Roles.
  3. In Actions pane, click Configure Role.
  4. Configure a Cluster resource with the following information:
    1. Server Role: File Server
      File Server Type: Scale-Out File Server for application data
      Name: HAFileServer
  5. Right Click HAFileServer and select Add File Share with the following information:
    (NOTE: You may get a “The Client Access Point is not ready..” error. Wait a few minutes and try again.)
    1. Profile:  SMB Share – Applications
      Share Location: Volume E:
      Share Name: VMStore
      Other Settings: Accept Defaults

6)  Transfer file server traffic to a different cluster node, without interruption of network services.

  1. Copy Install.wim from D:\Sources to \\HAFileServer\VMStore.
  2. QUICK!  In Failover Cluster Manager, right click HAFileServer and select Move | Select Node.
    1. Click OK to move to other Cluster Node.

7)  Monitor copy process to see that it does not fail.

Follow Up Guide Can Be Found Here:
Lab Guide – Windows 2012 RTM Hyper-V Over SMB
Word Version: https://aka.ms/tplabguide4word
PDF Version: https://aka.ms/tplabguide4pdf

More Information
Tommy’s Blog
https://www.virtuallycloud9.com

Windows Server Blogs
https://blogs.technet.com/b/windowsserver

Windows Server 2012 Product Download
https://aka.ms/ws2012tp

Microsoft Virtual Academy
https://aka.ms/tpva

Windows Server 2012 Virtual Labs
https://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/windowsserver/hh968267.aspx

Windows Azure 90-Day Free Trial Page
https://aka.ms/mshosting