1 Introduction
In Windows Server® 2008, the improvements to failover clusters (formerly known as server
clusters) include simplified creation and configuration, greater security, and enhanced stability.
Cluster setup and management are much easier. Security and networking in clusters have been
improved, in addition to the way a failover cluster communicates with its storage systems.
NOTE: Throughout this document, “Windows Server 2008” refers to both the “Windows Server
2008 with Service Pack 2 (SP2)” and “Windows Server 2008 R2” versions of the operating system,
unless specifically noted otherwise.
Other new features in failover clustering include:
• New validation wizard verifies that your system, storage, and network configurations are
suitable for creating a cluster.
• Support for GUID partition table (GPT) disks in cluster storage. GPT disks can have partitions
larger than two terabytes and built-in redundancy in the way partition information is stored,
unlike master boot record (MBR) disks.
• Improvements to interfaces for working with shared folders, simplifying their configuration
and management.
• Improvements to management interfaces.
See the following documents for basic, introductory information about clustered solutions for
Windows Server 2008:
• For a summary of failover clustering features and functionality:
Windows Server 2008 SP2: http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/cc770625(WS.10).aspx
Windows Server 2008 R2: http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/dd621586(WS.10).aspx
• To see a list of frequently asked questions about the Failover Cluster Configuration Program:
http://www.microsoft.com/windowsserver2008/en/us/clustering-faq.aspx
• For a collection of high-level Help topics regarding the configuration and management of
failover clusters:
http://technet2.microsoft.com/windowsserver2008/en/library/
6c5b0145-dee7-47b1-b29c-4e52b146ee341033.mspx
Clustering Overview
Clustering in Windows Server 2008 has been radically redesigned to simplify and streamline
cluster creation and administration. Rather than worrying about groups and dependencies,
administrators can create an entire cluster in one seamless step via a wizard interface. All you
have to do is supply a name for the cluster and the servers to be included in the cluster and the
wizard takes care of the rest. You do not have to be a cluster specialist or have in-depth knowledge
of failover clusters to successfully create and administer Windows Server 2008 failover clusters.
This means a far better total cost of cluster ownership for you.
The goal of Windows Server 2008 failover clustering is to make it possible for the non-specialist
to create a failover cluster that works. Organizations using previous versions of failover clustering
often had staff dedicated to installation and management of failover clusters. This significantly
increased the total cost of ownership for failover cluster services. With the introduction of
Windows Server 2008 failover clusters, even an IT generalist without any special training in
failover cluster services will be able to create a server cluster and configure the cluster to host
redundant services, and the configuration will work. This means a lower total cost of ownership
for you.
Clustering Overview 11
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