MSCS and 3.5

[DavidRiberdy]

We are looking at setting up a A/P cluster setup with ESX 3.5 and a physical server. The virtual machine on ESX would only be used if something were to fail on the physical server or in a patching scenario. I can find the "Setup for Microsoft Cluster Service ESX Server 3.0.1 and VirtualCenter 2.0.1" document but didn't know if there was anything more current with 3.5.

[patrickds]

MSCS has not been certified on 3.5 yet, and is currently still unsupported.

Hence no documentation.

[weinstein5]

As I understand it, MSCS is currenly not fully supported by 3.5 - that there are people who using it successfully but it is not a VMware supported configuration - it is suppoerted under 3.0 so that is why your are finding only trhat information - It should be supported in an upcoming release of 3.5 -

To set it up, you should be bale to follow the instructions for 3.0

[tklose]

:_|This is very disappointing. VMware needs to pick up the pace and get this approved and issue supporting whitepapers.

We currently are running a Windows 2000 SP4 MSCS Active/Active SQL configuration since 2.52 and now upgraded to 3.02

There are distinct advantages to running a cluster and MSCS is still needed. We run active/active so both SQL/OS machines can automatically fail over to each other in the event the OS or SQL has issues.

After hard selling virtualization to my organization, and migrating onto ESX for the past 4 years; now I'm pressed to rebuild my cluster back onto a physcial boxes?

I am now planning to rebuild my existing cluster, and can not risk upgrade to 3.5 until this is cleared up.

Vmware...please escalate this !

[TomHowarth]

Not supported does not mean will not work. it just means that it has not undergone full testing in VMware to check it works. if you follow the proceedures for VI3 MSCS the you should not go too far wrong. At the end of the day it is about risk managment.

Tom Howarth

VMware Communities User Moderator

[Texiwill]

Hello tklose,

As Tom says it is about Risk Management. However if you want VMware to Escalate its testing of MCSC on VI3.5 you should contact your VMware Support Representative and ask for assistance, while VMware employees do read the forums, you need to get your request for improvement to the proper people who may not read the forums.

Best regards,

Edward L. Haletky

VMware Communities User Moderator

====

Author of the book 'VMWare ESX Server in the Enterprise: Planning and Securing Virtualization Servers', Copyright 2008 Pearson Education. As well as the Virtualization Wiki at http://www.astroarch.com/wiki/index.php/Virtualization

[tklose]

I've heard that....but don't accept it. ESX is a enterprise product.

VMware should consider issues like this before deploying new versions or be quick to repsond to feedback in these forums. Ignoring the customers needs or just implying its the customer risk or to wait is just a weak answer.

Remember, this product is just one of the wares in our corporate toolboxes; caveats like this is what increases the the overall risk and consumes our resources.

Giving Microsoft, or VMWARE a way out, to properly support our problems is a great concern. We can not get stuck in the middle or just be told its not supported.

FYI: Many of the white papers and tech artcles, currently out there, are a result of our implementation of a Windows 2000 Active/Active SQL Cluster. I already experienced the pain of working with the high level SANS and Windows OS groups, when production demands are breathing down my back. Its not pretty.

Frankly, until they commit to supporting the configuration, we would choose not to use it in any production enviroment.

This should be heard, loud and clear at VMWARE, not just the support reps.

[Texiwill]

Hello,

That is your choice to make. No one claims you MUST move from v3.0.2 to v3.5. I would say not everyone plans to upgrade yet. Some are waiting for other features, or support for MSCS like you are. Personally I do not see the risk of staying with VI3.0.2. Or how this consumes more resources than upgrading to VI3.5.

VI3.5 solved different issues, it allowed more hardware to be used like 10G/Infiniband for networking, support for SATA controllers, and various other hardware odds and ends. If you need that type of support then VI3.5 was for you. And yet, it is an Enterprise product.

However, if you must have MSCS then it is not. If you want to raise this as an issue to VMware, you should make a request directly to by talking directly to your VMware Support Representative and make the request for MSCS support in VI3.5 or just wait. I do not see VI3.0.2 dropping from the support table for quite some time. If it is an issue of new hardware, most vendors ship either SAS or SATA controllers in the hardware so you can get either. That should alleviate most hardware concerns these day. I would however create a VI3.5 lab to test all the features I do need.

This question will come about again when VI4 roles out the door. Should I upgrade or Should I not? It is the question.

Best regards,

Edward L. Haletky

VMware Communities User Moderator

====

Author of the book 'VMWare ESX Server in the Enterprise: Planning and Securing Virtualization Servers', Copyright 2008 Pearson Education. As well as the Virtualization Wiki at http://www.astroarch.com/wiki/index.php/Virtualization

[tklose]

I guess we got some attention here. Thank you!

Clustering W2003 is now supported in V3.5.

[TomHowarth]

Clustering was always due to be supported in Update 1. I very much doubt our little thread even garnered a flicker of interest with the update developement team :smileyshocked:

Tom Howarth

VMware Communities User Moderator

[DavidRiberdy]

Thanks for harshing my buzz Tom! :_|

At least I have the documentation now and can proceed with our test trials.

[TomHowarth]

Sorry to upset you, but at least it is formally supported now, and hey the document looks suspiciously like the one for 3.0.1

Tom Howarth

VMware Communities User Moderator

[DavidRiberdy]

True that, there have been a few changes here and there

[tklose]

I'm not upset here....I do what ever it takes to get the job accomplished.

I know the game very well. I understand your position as well as the sales/development groups position.

Key factor is, it is officially supported which is enough to protect our intrests.

Frankly, I didn't expect the docs to be much different. ....they still have the same flaws...

[TomHowarth]

as MSCS is now officially supported in ESX 3.5 Update 1