Implementing and Managing Windows Server 2008 Clustering
• Course Number: 6423A
• Course Length: 3 Days
Course Overview
This instructor-led course explores Windows Server 2008 clustering and provides students
with the knowledge and skills to implement, maintain, and troubleshoot clusters.
Prerequisites
Before attempting this course, students must have experience with network load balancing, basic
knowledge of clustering theory, experience in an enterprise environment managing applications
and network topologies, and basic troubleshooting skills.
Audience
This course is intended for IT professionals responsible for implementing and maintaining high
availability solutions which utilize clustering technologies.
Certification Exam
There is no certification exam associate with this course.
Course Outline
Course Introduction 5m
Course Introduction
Module 01 - Introduction to Clusters 43m
Lesson: Overview of Clusters What Are Clusters?
Discussion: Why Use Clusters?
Clustering Terminology
Types of Clusters Clustering Categories
Lesson: Benefits of Using Clusters Clustering Benefits
What Is Availability?
How Clusters Improve Availability
Discussion: Increasing the Mean Time to Failure What Is Scalability?
How Clusters Improve Scalability What Is Cluster Manageability?
Lesson: Overview of the Windows Server 2008 High-Availability Solutions Windows Server 2008 Failover Cluster Features
How Windows Server 2008 Failover Clusters Work
Windows Server 2008 Network Load Balancing (NLB) Clusters How Network Load Balancing Clusters Work
Summary of Network Load Balancing Clusters Using Failover Clusters with Network Load Balancing Module 01 - Review
Module 02 - Intro to Windows Server 2008 Failover Clusters 48m
Lesson: Overview of Windows Server 2008 Failover Clusters Failover Cluster Components
Failover Cluster Components Terminology What Are Clustered Services and Resources?
Failover Clusters and Networks What Is Failover?
Lesson: Key Windows Server 2008 Failover Cluster Features Installation and Validation Features
Management Features Demo - Install and Verify Networking Features Storage Features Security Features
Lesson: Overview of the Windows Server 2008 Quorum Modes What Is Quorum?
How Quorum Works Types of Quorum Modes
What Is the Node Majority Mode?
What Is the Node and Disk Majority Mode?
What Is the Node and File Share Majority Mode?
What Is the No Majority: Disk Only Mode?
Choosing a Quorum Mode Module 02 - Review
Module 03 - Preparing to Install a Failover Cluster 1h 30m
Lesson: Overview of Requirements for Installing a Failover Cluster Failover Cluster Server Hardware Requirements
Failover Cluster Server Network Requirements Failover Cluster Storage Requirements Failover Cluster Infrastructure Requirements
Failover Cluster Software Requirements
Guidelines for Microsoft Support of Cluster Solutions Lesson: Planning the Failover Cluster Implementation Preparing the Server Hardware Before Validating the Cluster Understanding the Cluster Security Model
Discussion: Identifying Single Points of Failure Addressing Single Points of Failure
Considerations for Operating System Upgrades Planning for Migration
Considerations for Server Capacity Planning Planning for a Failed Node
Lesson: Install the Failover Clustering Feature and Validate the Cluster Config The Process of Installing the Failover Clustering Feature
What Is the Validate a Configuration Wizard?
The Cluster Validation Test: Inventory The Cluster Validation Test: Network The Cluster Validation Test: Storage
The Cluster Validation Test: System Configuration Correcting Cluster Validation Errors
Demo - Validating
Lesson: Installing a Failover Cluster on Windows Server 2008 Server Core Benefits of Installing Failover Clusters on Server Core
Supported Roles for Failover Clusters on Server Core The Process of Installing a Failover Cluster on Server Core Demo - Clustering on Core Server
Module 03 - Review
Module 04 - Overview of Failover Cluster Storage Requirements 57m
Lesson: OV of Storage Technologies Supported Failover Cluster Storage Types Storage Type Terminology
What Is a Storage Area Network (SAN)?
Hardware-Based Data Snapshots
How a SAN/DAS Provides Data Redundancy What Is the Difference Between a SAN and a NAS?
Managing Clustered Disks in Windows Server 2008 How Multipathing Works
Comparing SAN Disk Storage Connectivity Types Comparing SAN Connectivity Types
Lesson: Introduction to Storage Area Networks SAN Terminology
How a Storage Controller Works Fibre Channel SAN Terminology Switched Fibre Channel Configuration
Highly Available Fibre Channel Configurations: Mesh Highly Available Fibre Channel Configurations: Core-to-Edge Zoning with Fibre Channel Switches
iSCSI SAN Terminology iSCSI Storage Discovery
Lesson: Planning a Storage Solution for Failover Clusters
Considerations for Planning a Failover Cluster SAN
Discussion: Considerations for SAN Performance and Availability Recommendations for SAN Performance
Recommendations for SAN Availability
Lesson: Configuring an iSCSI Storage Connection Windows Server 2008 iSCSI Components
iSCSI Targets
Persistent Bindings and Reservations Demo - iSNS
Demo - iSCSI Storage Module 04 - Review
Module 05 - Configuring a Failover Cluster 43m
Lesson: Creating a New Failover Cluster Creating a Cluster Resource
Demo - Create a Cluster Demo - Managing a Cluster
Lesson: Managing a Failover Cluster Failover Cluster Management Tools Configuring Cluster Properties Modifying Quorum Settings Managing Cluster Nodes
Lesson: Verifying Failover Functionality Failover Cluster Scenarios
Using Preferred Owners
Modifying Failover and Failback Settings Performing Manual Failovers
Module 05 - Review
Module 06 - Configuring Cluster Resources and Server Roles 57m
Lesson: Configuring Cluster Resources What Are Cluster Resources?
Key Windows Server 2008 Resources What Are Resources Dependencies?
How Resource Failover Works for Specific Resources Configuring Cluster Resource Policies
Lesson: Implement Failover Clusters for Server Roles Using Failover Cluster Management Cluster Resources and Server Roles
The Process to Cluster Server Roles
Discussion: Roles That Benefit from Clustering Common Clustered Server Roles
Lesson: Clustering Server Roles Using Windows Server Core Benefits of Server Core Clustering
Managing Windows Server Core Server Core Clustering Roles Demo - Create on Core Server Demo - Configuring App Demo - File Share Cluster Module 06 - Review
Module 07 - Maintaining Microsoft Failover Clusters 1h 9m
Lesson: Monitoring Failover Clusters Tools for Monitoring Failover Clusters
Using Event Viewer to Monitor Failover Clusters Viewing Events for the Entire Cluster
Using Event Tracing
Using Tracerpt.exe to View the Event Trace Log Using Cluster.exe to Export the Cluster Log
Using the Reliability and Performance Monitor Snap-in Demo - Monitoring Failover
Lesson: Backing Up and Restoring Failover Clusters Considerations for Backing Up Failover Clusters
Using Windows Server Backup to Back Up the Cluster Configuration Demo - Backup
Using a Non-authoritive Restore Using an Authoritive Restore Demo - Recovery
Discussion: Addressing Application Recovery Lesson: Troubleshooting Failover Clusters Troubleshooting Failover Clusters
The Process for Troubleshooting Failover Clusters Discussion: Troubleshooting Techniques
Troubleshooting Storage Issues
Troubleshooting Group and Resource Failures Module 07 - Review
Module 08 - Implementing Multi-Site Clusters 35m
Lesson: Overview of Multi-Site Clusters What Are Multi-Site Clusters?
Discussion: When to Use a Multi-Site Cluster What Makes Multi-Site Clusters Unique?
Why Use a Multi-Site Cluster?
Evaluating The Business Need for a Multi-Site Cluster Storage Challenges for Multi-Site Clusters
What Is Synchronous Replication?
What Is Asynchronous Replication?
Comparing Synchronous and Asynchronous Replication Network Challenges for Multi-Site Clusters
Lesson: Implementing Multi-Site Clusters Using Windows Server 2008 Key Windows Server 2008 Features That Enable Multi-Site Clusters Discussion: Quorum Issues in Multi-Site Clusters
Choosing the Appropriate Quorum Mode in Multi-Site Clusters Using Node Majority in a Multi-Site Cluster
Using Node and File Share Majority in a Multi-Site Cluster
Deploying Exchange Server 2007 Cluster Continuous Replication in a Multi-Site Cluster Deploying a Multi-Site Cluster
Module 08 - Review
Module 09 - Implementing Network Load Balancing Clusters 1h 29m
Lesson: Overview of Network Load Balancing Clusters What Is Network Load Balancing (NLB)?
How NLB Works
Windows Server 2008 NLB Features NLB Application Support
Data Synchronization Between NLB Nodes Discussion: Comparing NLB with Failover Clusters
Discussion: Comparing NLB with Other Load Balancing Solutions Lesson: Configuring a Network Load Balancing Cluster NLB Deployment Requirements
Demo - Prepping NLB
Considerations for Configuring NLB Clusters and Hosts
Comparing Unicast and Multicast NLB Cluster Operation Modes Options for Configuring Host Parameters
What Are Port Rules?
What Is Affinity?
Demo - Configure NLB
Considerations for Configuring NLB
Lesson: Maintaining a Network Load Balancing Cluster Tools for Troubleshooting NLB Clusters
Considerations for Troubleshooting NLB Clusters Demo - DNS NLB
Module 09 - Review Course Closure
