Windows Failover Clustering, one of the best features available in Windows Server OS!!
We utilized Windows Server Failover Clustering as an integral part of a MS SQL cluster setup. We utilized it for almost zero downtime on …
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What is Windows Server Failover Clustering?
Windows Server Failover Clustering (WSFC) is a group of independent servers that work together to increase application and service availability.
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What is Windows Server Failover Clustering?
Windows Server Failover Clustering Technical Details
| Operating Systems | Unspecified |
|---|---|
| Mobile Application | No |
Frequently Asked Questions
Windows Server Failover Clustering (WSFC) is a group of independent servers that work together to increase application and service availability.
Reviewers rate Support Rating highest, with a score of 8.2.
The most common users of Windows Server Failover Clustering are from Mid-sized Companies (51-1,000 employees).
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February 18, 2022
Windows Failover Clustering, one of the best features available in Windows Server OS!!
We utilized Windows Server Failover Clustering as an integral part of a MS SQL cluster setup. We utilized it for almost zero downtime on our Microsoft SQL serving our on prem Sharepoint implementations, as well as several critical IT infrastructure systems that need a SQL database back end. This allows us to perform maintenance and patching without affecting the applications that use the SQL server. It's deployed on a active passive setup. We also set up a test Hyper-V high availability cluster.
- It allows us to perform maintenance and patching on the passive node without having to shutdown the database and incurring downtime.
- We are able to repair a failed server but failing the database over if there is a hardware failure on the active node. Minimizing downtime on the database.
- It provides an automated recovery when there is failure without IT intervention when there is an issue.
- The setup of the Windows Server Failover Clustering is complex, requiring different networks and multiple network cards.
- Better integration between the Windows Failover clustering and Hyper-V. Unlike VMWare you have to make changes to two places instead of just one panel.
- I wish there was a web portal to manage the cluster. Instead you have to remote desktop into the VIP address and go to the Cluster manager.
- One of the most important features in the high availability of the SQL cluster ensuring we have minimum downtime.
- The automatic fail over feature. Making sure the database is always up when a failure occurs on the hardware level.
- The ease of managing the resource in the Failover clustering manager.
- A positive impact is that we are able to setup the Windows Server Failover Clustering with just the Standard Windows server and SQL license.
- We have hardware redundancy on our SQL server so we won't have to worry about hardware failures on maintenance windows. We can work on the passive node while the database is up on the active node.
- We were able to setup a virtualization cluster without having to purchase additional licenses for a test instance.
- We are able to utilize MS SQL for some of our more critical infrastructure because of the Windows Failover clustering, since the database was always up as long as one node was up.
We fell the Windows Server Failover Clustering was better than the Oracle Real Application Clusters. Although the Oracle Real Application cluster provided an active setup it was more unstable. On more than one occasion a split brain issue had occurred when both nodes thought the other node was down and attempted to take control of the database causing the application to go down. Support pointed to drop pings between the two nodes on the clustering network. We had initially connected the clustering network thru a switch so we changed that to a direct connect crossover cable. Even after that, it would still occasionally have an issue. We never had that issue on the Windows Failover Clustering, it had been very stable and we never had an outage.
October 25, 2021
Simple and out of the box
We are currently using Windows Server Failover Clustering to serve our Microsoft Hyper-V cluster. The cluster runs our production environment comprising of email services, file services, database services, remote access, and more. All Microsoft Hyper-V roles are clustered and their storage is also managed by the cluster. It is currently running in a two node environment.
- Easy to use
- Out of the box
- Documentation is readily available
- Include storage spaces as part of the same feature set along with storage tiering
- Failover
- Ease of use
- No need to invest in a third part product
- Support and documentation is everywhere
- The learning curve is not steep and is very quick
Both VMware and Microsoft Failover do the job and they both do it extremely well. For many bussiness and environments though, they will have the existing investment in a Microsoft environment and Microsoft infrastructure. The introduction of VMware will or may achieve the end result however it introduces new dimensions like support, licensing, documentation and ensuring the support team are trained.
August 30, 2016
Not the most stable, but so useful
We started using Failover Clustering a while ago with Windows 2008 Hyper-V. We had a lot of issues (Cluster crash) and upgraded to 2008 R2, 2012 and 2012 R2, with the same issues. However, the cluster may not be a 100% stable, but it helps a lot regarding maintenance and upgrade. Instead of having to shutdown everything, we move the virtual machines from one host to another. When a VM job in the kernel, the full cluster goes down.
We than started using Failover clustering for File Share and Scale-Out File-Share to host company files, and VMs (over SMB3). At some point we had one of the host that crashed, and when hard-rebooted, the other host when down because of the failover cluster. Also, when moving the FileShare roles from one host to the other, the disk 'time-out' for a while, that makes the file server very slow.
It's not perfect, but it's very useful
- Maintenance - You can move all the roles to the other host, and update/upgrade without interruption.
- Integrated - Based for many roles in Windows Server
- Easy to use - Not many options, but easy to figure out
- Limited - Not much you can configure or tweak
- Unstable - Sometimes dies for no reason
- Cluster Validation - It never goes right. Always a lot of errors
- Comes with Windows, almost Free
- Powerful when used with Hyper-V, Storage Spaces, etc Can build a HA Hyper-visors with Dedup/tier Storage
- VMware, Nutanix and XenServer
If you run Windows VMs, you will need licenses. With Windows Server DataCenter, you have unlimited number of VMs, and you don't need additional licenses for the Windows VMs. Running Hyper-V (Windows Server DataCenter) with Failover Cluster will be way cheaper than anything else.