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Can I use virtual machines to test windows cluster failover and migration?

Hello,
I was wondering if it is possible to use virtual machines for testing windows cluster - breaking and moving into another domain.
So, in our production we have a phisical cluster with two nodes. The goal is to break the cluster and to migrate them into another domain.

So, I have a checklist and would like it to test the procedure in the test lab first. Please let me know if I could use VMware machines for that.
If not, could you please let me know the hardware requirements I would need for the test lab.

Thank you so much

creative555

ASKER

Below is additional info for the OS for our existing servers. So, I want to setup a test lab so that I could get similar results as I would be migrating production servers. Please let me know what would I need for the test lab and if I could use for virtual machines or I need to use only physical servers, etc?

Server01 Microsoft(R) Windows(R) Server 2003, Enterprise Edition Enterprise Edition. (SQL 2005)
Server02 Microsoft(R) Windows(R) Server 2003, Enterprise Edition Enterprise Edition. (SQL 2005)
Server03 Microsoft Windows Server 2008 R2 Enterprise R2 Enterprise. (SQL 2012)
Server04 Microsoft Windows Server 2008 R2 Enterprise R2 Enterprise. (SQL 2012)

SOLUTION

Sajid Shaik M

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pjam

In the Microsoft class 20412d, in Module 11 we definitely used Hyper-V to set up and test failover cluster. So should be no problem for you.

ASKER CERTIFIED SOLUTION

Andrew Hancock (VMware vExpert PRO / EE Fellow/British Beekeeper)

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SOLUTION

Ryan McCauley

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creative555

ASKER

Oh. Thank you so much!! Thats great news!!! So we need to request four VMs for two clusters? Is there anything esle we need other than four VMs?

Current environment:
One cluster
Server01 Microsoft(R) Windows(R) Server 2003, Enterprise Edition Enterprise Edition. (SQL 2005)
Server02 Microsoft(R) Windows(R) Server 2003, Enterprise Edition Enterprise Edition. (SQL 2005)

SEcond Cluster
Server03 Microsoft Windows Server 2008 R2 Enterprise R2 Enterprise. (SQL 2012)
Server04 Microsoft Windows Server 2008 R2 Enterprise R2 Enterprise. (SQL 2012)

Andrew Hancock (VMware vExpert PRO / EE Fellow/British Beekeeper)

Yes, Raw Device Mapped LUNs for Clustering!

e.g. shared storage, unless you do Cluster in a box, see the Guide I posted!

creative555

ASKER

Hi,
THank you so much again.
SO we have two options - VMs or Hyper- V lab

I see that we can test any version of SQL clustering in VMware, how about Hyper-V?

In the link I see testing for Windows 2012 and SQL 2012 versions.

We need to test Windows Server 2003 cluster with SQL 2005. Can we also do it in Hyper-V too 2012?

One cluster
Server01 Microsoft(R) Windows(R) Server 2003, Enterprise Edition Enterprise Edition. (SQL 2005)
Server02 Microsoft(R) Windows(R) Server 2003, Enterprise Edition Enterprise Edition. (SQL 2005)

SEcond Cluster
Server03 Microsoft Windows Server 2008 R2 Enterprise R2 Enterprise. (SQL 2012)
Server04 Microsoft Windows Server 2008 R2 Enterprise R2 Enterprise. (SQL 2012)

Andrew Hancock (VMware vExpert PRO / EE Fellow/British Beekeeper)

VMware vSphere or Microsoft Hyper-V, either will do.

creative555

ASKER

Thank you ALL for such great responses!!! All answers were great.

Philip Elder

If you need to simulate a WAN link between the clusters this tool is the best: WANem: The Wide Area Network emulator.

creative555

ASKER

Thank you very much!!