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 Course Introduction Module 01 - Introduction to Clusters Lesson: Overview of Clusters What Are Clusters? Discussion: Why Use Clusters? Clustering Terminology 5m 43m
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 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 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 48m 1h 30m
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 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 57m
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 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 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 43m 57m
Module 07 - Maintaining Microsoft Failover Clusters 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 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 1h 9m 35m
Module 09 - Implementing Network Load Balancing Clusters 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 1h 29m Total Duration: 8h 56m