Microsoft cluster - add 3rd node (VM) SAN-iSCSI to 2 physical nodes DAS (SCSI)

[rucky]

Hi Please

guide me step by step

how to add a 3rd cluster node in the VM environment with ISCSI SAN to

the cluster (2 node) which is in physical enviorment and is attached to DAS (SCSI)

I would be really thankful.

Regards

Rucky

[Texiwill]

Hello,

Moved to Virtual Machine and GUest OS forum.

THis is possible if it is not a shared disk cluster. If it is, you need to first migrate the DAS to SAN/iSCSI so that you can do the migration. Check out http://www.vmware.com/pdf/vi3_35/esx_3/vi3_35_25_u1_mscs.pdf on setting up the virtual hardware.

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.
Blue Gears and SearchVMware Pro Blogs -- Top Virtualization Security Links -- Virtualization Security Round Table Podcast

[rucky]

Hi tex

what do u mean by shared disk cluster

(we have DELL PV220s (disk array) -

Quarom disk (Q:drive) (1 gig) is on the the array

and

R:drive (which is a 1TB volume on that disk array as well)

I have got the connection going from Cluster/DAS/PV220S (1 of the nodes) to SAN/Iscsi via adding additional network card in the cluster node, creating a LUN on the SAN and then rescsanning the disk on cluster node. And i think i can now use RObocopy to copy my files.

One question which comes to my mind is if i were to use RDM's for my cluster or say even a file server (stand alone), connecting to these RDM's.

when i backup my VM or the cluster. Will the VMDK file contains all the files and the file size say would be 1TB. (my data) or is there a way i can only backup the OS/Cluster/File server and not the RDM volume/LUN

and use some other technolgy to back that up.

ONLy reason i think of that is, if the machine goes down, if it was the machine which we need to restore it would be really quick. but if had 1TB of data attached to it., it would takes ages, wouldnt it?> even thought its comined in 1VMDK file?

Please guide me in the right direction, would be really grateful to you.

Regards

Rucky