Implementing and Managing Windows Server 2008 Clustering

6423 : 3 Day Instructor Led Course

Learn Windows 2008 Clustering, Network Load Balancing and Failover techniques

This three-day instructor-led course on Windows Server 2008 clustering provides students with the knowledge and skills to implement, maintain, and troubleshoot clusters.

Audience
This course is intended for IT professional technology specialists who are responsible for using clustering technologies to implement and maintain high-availability solutions.
 
 
Prerequisites
Before attending 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
Basic troubleshooting skills

 

 
 
At Course Completion
After completing this course, students will be able to implement, maintain, and troubleshoot clusters in their enterprise environment.
 
 
Course Outline
Module 1: Introduction to Clusters
This module describes cluster concepts and functionality.
Lessons

 

Overview of Clusters
Benefits of Using Clusters
Overview of the Windows Server 2008 High-Availability Solutions

 

Lab : Identifying Windows Server 2008 High-Availability Solutions

 

Exercise 1: Identifying solutions for Web servers
Exercise 2: Identifying solutions for database servers
Exercise 3: Identifying complex solutions

 

After completing this module, students will be able to:

 

Describe clusters.
Describe the benefits of deploying a clustered solution.
Outline the Windows Server 2008 high-availability solutions.

 

Module 2: Introduction to Windows Server 2008 Failover Clusters
This module describes key features and functionality of the Windows Server 2008 failover clusters.
Lessons

 

Overview of Windows Server 2008 Failover Clusters
Key Windows Server 2008 Failover Cluster Features
Overview of the Windows Server 2008 Quorum Models

 

Lab : Identifying Windows Server 2008 Clustering Solutions

 

Exercise 1: Identifying clustered scenarios

 

After completing this module, students will be able to:

 

Describe the Windows Server 2008 failover cluster terminology and concepts.
Briefly describe key features in Windows Server 2008 failover clusters.
Identify Windows Server 2008 failover cluster quorum modes.

 

Module 3: Preparing to Install a Failover Cluster
This module describes the prerequisites to install a Windows failover cluster.
Lessons

 

Overview of Requirements for Installing a Failover Cluster
Planning the Failover Cluster Implementation
Installing the Failover Clustering Feature and Validating the Cluster Configuration
Installing the Failover Cluster on Windows Server 2008 Server Core

 

Lab: Preparing for a Cluster Installation

 

Exercise 1: Installing the Failover Clustering feature
Exercise 2: Validating the failover cluster

 

After completing this module, students will be able to:

 

Outline failover cluster requirements.
Describe the planning required to deploy a Windows failover cluster.
Install the Failover Clustering feature and verify requirements.
Install the Failover Cluster on Windows Server 2008 Server Core.

 

Module 4: Overview of Failover Cluster Storage Requirements
This module describes storage fundamentals, and how to plan and implement storage solutions for failover clusters.
Lessons

 

Overview of Storage Technologies
Introduction to Storage Area Networks
Planning a Storage Solution for Failover Clusters
Configuring an iSCSI Storage Connection

 

Lab: Identifying SAN Components

 

Exercise 1: Identifying Fibre Channel SAN components
Exercise 2: Configuring iSCSI storage connections

 

After completing this module, students will be able to:

 

Describe storage technologies.
Define Storage Area Networks.
Plan a storage solution for failover clusters.
Describe the process to configure an Internet SCSI (iSCSI) storage connection.

 

Module 5: Configuring a Failover Cluster
This module describes how to install and manage a failover cluster.
Lessons

 

Creating a New Failover Cluster
Managing a Failover Cluster
Verifying Failover Functionality

 

Lab: Creating and Administering a Cluster

 

Exercise 1: Creating a cluster
Exercise 2: Managing a failover cluster

 

After completing this module, students will be able to:

 

Create a new failover cluster.
Manage a failover cluster.
Test failover functionality.

 

Module 6: Configuring Cluster Resources and Server Roles
This module describes how to configure cluster resources and cluster common Windows Server roles and applications.
Lessons

 

Configuring Cluster Resources
Implementing Failover Clusters for Server Roles Using Failover Cluster Management
Clustering Server Roles Using Windows Server Core

 

Lab: Clustering Server Roles and Features

 

Exercise 1: Clustering the print services role using Failover Cluster Management
Exercise 2: Configuring cluster resources
Exercise 3: Clustering the file services role on Windows Server Core

 

After completing this module, students will be able to:

 

Configure cluster resources.
Implement failover clusters for server roles using Failover Cluster Management.
Describe how to cluster common server roles using Windows Server Core.

 

Module 7: Maintaining Microsoft Failover Clusters
This module describes how to maintain and troubleshoot failover clusters.
Lessons

 

Monitoring Failover Clusters
Backing Up and Restoring Failover Clusters
Troubleshooting Failover Clusters

 

Lab: Maintaining Failover Clusters

 

Exercise 1: Monitoring failover clusters
Exercise 2: Performing backups on a failover cluster
Exercise 3: Performing an authoritative restore on a failover cluster

 

After completing this module, students will be able to:

 

Monitor failover clusters.
Back up and restore failover clusters.
Troubleshoot failover clusters.

 

Module 8: Implementing Multi-Site Clusters
This module describes multi-site clusters and the challenges that they present. In addition, this module describes how to implement a multi-site cluster using Windows Server 2008.
Lessons

 

Overview of Multi-Site Clusters
Implementing Multi-Site Clusters Using Windows Server 2008

 

After completing this module, students will be able to:

 

Define the use and challenges of multi-site clusters.
Describe how to implement multi-site clusters using Windows Server 2008.

 

Module 9: Implementing Network Load Balancing Clusters
This module describes how to install and maintain Network Load Balancing (NLB) clusters.
Lessons

 

Overview of Network Load Balancing Clusters
Configuring a Network Load Balancing Cluster
Maintaining a Network Load Balancing Cluster

 

Lab: Implementing an NLB cluster

 

Exercise 1: Preparing the NLB cluster nodes
Exercise 2: Configuring an NLB failover cluster

 

After completing this module, students will be able to:

 

Describe how NLB clusters works.
Configure an NLB cluster.
Maintain an NLB cluster.