Windows Storage Server

See also Hyper-V Backup.

http://blogs.technet.com/b/storageserver/archive/2012/09/14/windows-storage-server-2012-is-available-to-microsoft-s-hardware-partners.aspx

http://blogs.technet.com/b/storageserver/archive/2011/02/25/microsoft-oem-engineering-services-help-storage-partners-bring-embedded-solutions-to-market-and-support-them-throughout-the-product-lifecycle.aspx

http://download.microsoft.com/download/A/B/E/ABE02B78-BEC7-42B0-8504-C880A1144EE1/WS%202012%20White%20Paper_Storage.pdf

http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/jj643303.aspx

http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/jj643306.aspx

The precise method of deploying any given shared storage scheme will vary depending on the hardware and software you are using.

The basic process is to:

1. Implement the shared storage first
2. Connect the Hyper-V hosts to it
3. Add the hosts into a Failover Cluster.

http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/gg610692.aspx

http://blogs.msdn.com/b/clustering/archive/2012/04/06/10291490.aspx

http://technet.microsoft.com/pt-br/library/cc732181%28v=ws.10%29.aspx

• Cluster Shared Volumes are volumes in a failover cluster that multiple nodes can read from and write to at the same time
• This feature enables multiple nodes to concurrently access a single shared volume
• CSV is supported on WS2008R2 and newer
• Failover Cluster Manager
  • CluAdmin.msc
• CSVs are created from Physical Disk Resources (PDR)
• Must pass all tests in the Validate a Configuration Wizard
  • Included in the Failover Cluster Manager MMC snap-in
• Use matching computers that contain either the same or similar features
• You cannot use teamed network adapters with iSCSI

See also Hyper-V Cluster.

• All servers in the cluster must be in the same Active Directory domain
• Use basic disks, not dynamic disks
• Format the partitions with NTFS
• Partition disks with MBR or GPT partition tables
• Do not expose the clustered volumes to servers that are not in the cluster
• A witness disk holds a copy of the cluster configuration database
• Failover Clusters can use Cluster Shared Volumes
• Use Microsoft Multipath I/O (MPIO) for highly available storage
• Requires Windows Server 2008 R2 Enterprise or Windows Server 2008 R2 Datacenter
  • Also available on Hyper-V Server 2012

• For a two-node failover cluster, the storage should contain at least two separate volumes (LUNs) configured at the hardware level
  • One volume will function as the witness disk
  • One volume will contain the files that are being shared between the cluster nodes
    • This volume serves as the shared storage on which you will create the virtual machine and the virtual hard disk

When configuring iSCSI Discovery and iSCSI Targets, be sure to click the 'Advanced' button to specify:

• Local Adapter
• Intiator IP
• Target Portal IP

New Features: http://www.aidanfinn.com/?p=13246

MPIO Policies: http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/dd851699.aspx

mpclaim.exe Examples: http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/ee619743%28v=ws.10%29.aspx

Best Practices: http://itinfras.blogspot.com/2010/05/what-is-mpio-and-best-practices-of-mpio.html

How To: http://blogs.technet.com/b/migreene/archive/2009/08/29/3277914.aspx

Another How To: http://onlinehelp.storsimple.com/6_Knowledge_Base/1_MPIO_Setup_Windows_Server_2008R2