To Cluster or Not to Cluster? That is the Question.
Some background...I just received two new servers and a SAN. The servers are running VMware and are setup as two nodes in a clustered environment. While I got some crash-course training for VMware, I am a fresh fish to this game. I am setting up a new domain infustructure using all VMs running Windows Server 2012. We are a small shop that operates from 8-5 so if there is some down time for maintenance after hours or the weekend it is not a big deal.
I am in the process of getting setting up a Server 2012 File Server, and Exchange 2013 Server and a SQL 2014 Server. In your opinion, would you you create clusters for the File Server, Exchange Server and SQL Server? To do so, I would need to purchase an additional license for SQL and Exchange.
If my logic is correct, the clustered environment of these servers would protect me against an software OS failure. I already have vSphere HA so if one of my ESXi hosts goes down then the VMs would be transfered to another ESXi host. Therefore, the Windows clusters don't provide me any advantage if a hardware failure takes place.
So once again, would you run these Windows Servers in a cluster or just as a single VM?
I appreciate all your feeback!
I am in the process of getting setting up a Server 2012 File Server, and Exchange 2013 Server and a SQL 2014 Server. In your opinion, would you you create clusters for the File Server, Exchange Server and SQL Server? To do so, I would need to purchase an additional license for SQL and Exchange.
If my logic is correct, the clustered environment of these servers would protect me against an software OS failure. I already have vSphere HA so if one of my ESXi hosts goes down then the VMs would be transfered to another ESXi host. Therefore, the Windows clusters don't provide me any advantage if a hardware failure takes place.
So once again, would you run these Windows Servers in a cluster or just as a single VM?
I appreciate all your feeback!
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Philip Portnoy
Statement used previously by Miguel Angel Perez Muñoz is false - Exchange does NOT need Enterprise for HA.
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Philip,
I do only have one SAN. As for Exchange....to use the DAG do I am assuming that I need multiple Exchange servers, correct?
I do only have one SAN. As for Exchange....to use the DAG do I am assuming that I need multiple Exchange servers, correct?
Yes, you will need 2 Exchange servers (and 2 Exchange licenses, though Standard is enough if you're not planning on having >10 databases or some other complex stuff).
You can balance only databases, or you can make second server a CAS as well. In this case you will need NLB (which might be just any Windows system or special hardware if you have it) to balance user HTTPs requests between servers.
You can balance only databases, or you can make second server a CAS as well. In this case you will need NLB (which might be just any Windows system or special hardware if you have it) to balance user HTTPs requests between servers.
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Mayson,
I am new to a A LOT of this stuff (VMware, Windows Clusters, Network Layers, etc.). All of the VMware / HA stuff was setup by a consultant onsite while he gave me some basic training on VMware. The SAN and ESXi hosts are configured using iSCSI connections using two NICs in each host running through a gigabit switch.
I am new to a A LOT of this stuff (VMware, Windows Clusters, Network Layers, etc.). All of the VMware / HA stuff was setup by a consultant onsite while he gave me some basic training on VMware. The SAN and ESXi hosts are configured using iSCSI connections using two NICs in each host running through a gigabit switch.
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