Intel Modular Server Hyper-V Server 2008 R2 Cluster Set Up Guide v1.0.0

This first post is essentially a cut and paste of our set up notes to date. It will be updated and reconfigured _a lot_ as we run through the cluster set up process on the IMS we have here in the shop.

The layout is essentially according to the flow of the required steps. Though, on first glance this particular guide is quite unruly in its presentation.

Standalone Management Server

We prefer to have an additional standalone server in our clustering setup. Even if the server is temporarily there as part of the set up process, we find it a lot easier to get things going with it around.

For full power outage cluster restart purposes, it is a good idea to have that standalone server online as a DC or Read Only DC to provide the needed authentication services for the cluster nodes when they boot up.

We actually install a Windows 7 VM on the management server with the RSAT tools installed and enabled so that we can manage things on the cluster and the SBS network without the need to log onto the SBS or DC VMs.

Assumptions

An assumption made in this post in that the terms used in reference to the various IMS components, Hyper-V components, and others will be known by you our readers.

This means that it is important to pick up the various needed documentation to gain familiarity with the terms and overall procedures for managing the IMS components, Hyper-V OSs, etc.

IMS Chassis Component Set Up Procedure

1. Set up the hardware and bring up to date.
2. Set BIOS settings on each module.
3. Register the Paper Pack ID and Serial Number on Intel’s site to obtain the LUN Key (Intel’s site).
4. Input the LUN Activation Key.
5. Creating the base storage:
   • MFSYS25 User Guide Page 79: If the Intel® Shared LUN feature is activated, the “Assign to multiple servers” check box is displayed. When the check box is selected, the Intel® Shared LUN feature allows a virtual drive to be assigned to two or more servers. This feature requires operating system support for sharing LUNs.
6. Create a Storage Pool of 2 (2x 146GB 15K SAS in this case) drives.
   1. 25GB/Hyper-V OS Node (75GB for three nodes).
   2. 60GB or thereabouts to be CSV for VM Config and Memory Files.
   3. Do not attach any subsequent VDs to any of the Hyper-V Nodes until after the OSs are installed.
7. Creating the switch layout:
   • Internal:VLAN not mapped to External
   • External: VLAN mapped to External.
     1. Create a VLAN for each port to map properly.
     2. VLAN for cluster heartbeat: VLAN 99
     3. VLAN for VM external access: VLAN 1
8. Node Storage
   • Create Storage Pool 1
   • Create Storage Pool 2
   • Create Storage Pool 3
   • Create Virtual Disks (VD) 0, 1, 2, 3 etc.
9. Node Storage Assignments
   • Once all Nodes are properly configured, shut them down.
   • Assign the VDs to each Node.
   • Use one Node to initialize.
   • Then format NTFS.
   • Set Offline in ALL Nodes.
   • Close the MMC (Not necessarily needed step).
   • Reopen then Rescan disks in next Node.
   • Set to Offline and repeat for each Node.

Standalone Server Setup

We name the standalone server TD-Management and refer to this server as the Management server. TD is usually the domain name’s initials or acronym brought down to two letters.

1. Windows Server 2008 RTM/R2 OS install.
2. Local admin password change:____________________
3. Driver install.
   • Chipset
   • NIC
   • Video
   • TPM
4. Set IP:____________________
5. Set name:____________________
6. Configure Storage.
   1. OS:____________________
   2. SwapFile:____________________
   3. NetworkData:____________________
      • DiskPart may be needed for NetworkData to get a Primary.
7. Set SwapFile and reboot.
8. Role Install : Hyper-V
9. Hyper-V Nehalem Hotfix (MS KB Site).
10. Unbind host OS from VM NIC(s).
11. SBS 2008 OS VM set up.
    • Min HDD: 60GB
    • Use Answer File on a 128MB VHD created in Win7 or Win2K8 R2.
    • Attach the Answer File VHD via SCSI so that it is hot removable.
12. Standalone server domain joins after SBS 2008 set up is complete.
    • Our SBS 2008 Set Up Guide.
13. In Hyper-V Manager, set SBS 2008 to auto start.
14. Add Feature: Failover Clustering Management
    • Nodes must have the Failover Clustering Service installed.
    • Nodes are connected to domain run Validation Wizard.
15. Post Node Install: Make the necessary AD CIFS permissions changes if ISOs reside on a standalone Win2K3/8 Server for Constrained Delegation access.
    • NTFS: Node-01$, Node-02$, Node-03$, etc = FULL
    • Share: Node-01$, Node-02$, Node-03$, etc = FULL
16. Post Node Install: Create MMC
    • Computer Management for all Nodes
    • Windows Firewall with Advanced Security for all nodes.
    • Cluster Failover Management
    • Hyper-V Manager
17. Firewall exceptions for Disk Management on local management machine.

Node Setup

The following can be used to map the NIC’s IP Addresses:

NODE	INTERNAL IP ADDRESS
Node 1
Node 2
Node 3
Node 4
Node 5
Node 6

NODE	HEARTBEAT IP ADDRESS
Node 1
Node 2
Node 3
Node 4
Node 5
Node 6

 

The set up procedure goes as follows:

1. OS install via USB Flash is best.
   • In IMS Management unbind NICs 2 and 3 by setting to internal VLAN for each one on IMS before installing Hyper-V Server 2008 R2 OS.
   • Note that NICs 0 and 1 will be configured for the Internal and Heartbeat networks.
   • In IMS Switch management, we use VLAN 98, 97, etc
2. Set local admin password.
3. Name nodes.
   • Reboot
   • Drivers needed on USB flash if going to install here.
4. Domain join using netdom command.
   • netdom join TD-* /Domain:TestDomain.local /OU:OU=SBSServers,OU=Computers,OU=MyBusiness,DC=domain,DC=local /userd:administrator /passwordd:*
   • Format above for your setup.
5. Set IP and DNS Server addresses for primary NIC.
   • DNS1: SBS
   • DNS2: Standalone Server
6. Set IP address for heartbeat NIC.
   • DNS1: SBS
   • DNS2: Standalone Server
7. Configure remote management
   1. MMC.
   2. PowerShell – Reboot required.
   3. Allow Server Remote Management.
8. Enable the RDP feature.
9. Date & Time.
10. Load the following drivers in the order listed below:
    1. Chipset (maybe)
    2. NIC
    3. Video (No Need)
    4. TPM
11. Turn off the Page file before setting up VDs.
    • Needed when the primary OS volume is too small for RAM. Swap file will start jumping into the VM’s VDs during their set up.
    • wmic computersystem where name=”<computername>” set AutomaticManagedPagefile=False
    • shutdown –r –t 0 [Enter]
    • Turn on after VDs set up.
12. Install IMS MPIO driver.
    • Reboot required. Run the swap file off command then reboot to set it in place here.
13. Install the Failover Clustering Feature.
    • Firewall exceptions are installed. Wait about 5 minutes before trying the wizard.
14. Run updates.
15. Change VLAN back to external setting for NICs 3 and 4.
16. Bind External NIC’s 3 and 4 to virtual switches for each Node.
    1. Use Hyper-V Management
    2. Name them the same across all nodes.
    3. External NIC 1, External NIC 2, Etc.
17. Delete DNS and DHCP records for each Node’s NIC 3 and 4 on DC if needed.
18. Add users to local admin group if they are to manage VMs.
19. Turn Nodes off and Assign the VDs that will be used by the HA VMs.
20. Set CIFS Delegation in AD.

Cluster Setup

1. Need DNS A Record and IP for Access Point in Wizard.
   1. If DNS update errors for the Cluster Name appear, then delete the DNS A so the cluster can update the A record itself.
2. Run Validation Wizard’s All Tests once everything is configured.
3. Set the heartbeat network to not allow clients in FCM.
4. Clustered Shared Volumes
   1. In FCM – create the CSV
   2. On Node: CSV = C:\ClusterStorage\Volume1
5. Need a Volume for VM Config and Memory Files on CSV.
6. Configure each Node’s Hyper-V settings for the storage locations to the appropriate CSVs.
7. Create a VM in H-V Manager on Node 1.
   1. Make sure to select the Cluster Virtual Disk.
   2. Need a VD for CVD.
   3. Must be enabled on each Node.
8. Set the auto start settings and time sync settings on the new VM.

Move the SBS/Primary DC from Management to Cluster

1. Make sure to IPConfig /all to get MAC or check Hyper-V Management.
2. Set up existing MAC in new VM settings on cluster.
3. At the least, a temp DC is required for the move (Standalone server) to provide AD authentication.
4. Set all nodes and server VM’s secondary DNS to the temp DC if not already done.
5. Note that SBS on Cluster may lose its IP address. Do not remove secondary DNS settings until IP is verified in the VM.
6. Run the Fix My Network Wizard to clean up the old NIC settings.
7. Note that DHCP reservations are lost after the FMN finishes.
8. Reinstall Integration Services.

The above is it in a nutshell. Now, there are a bunch of links to the various sources that need to be done up yet, but that will have to wait as we are behind on our To Do list for today.

Philip Elder
MPECS Inc.
Microsoft Small Business Specialists
Co-Author: SBS 2008 Blueprint Book

*Our original iMac was stolen (previous blog post). We now have a new MacBook Pro courtesy of Vlad Mazek, owner of OWN.

Windows Live Writer