What versions in a cluster?

I've read different information on this. One says you can have 2003 Enterprise & Datacenter in the same cluster. Others say anything more than a 2-node cluster needs the same OS version. And still others say they must all be the same. What have you guys heard?

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DragonNOA1

I think I have found the confusing statement that might have tripped up different authors.

"Server clusters can combine up to eight nodes. In addition, a cluster cannot be made up of nodes running both Windows Server 2003, Enterprise Edition, and Windows Server 2003, Datacenter Edition. In server clusters with more than two nodes, all nodes must run Windows Server 2003, Datacenter Edition, or Windows Server 2003, Enterprise Edition, but not both." (Windows Clustering: Network Load Balancing (NLB); Clustering Services)

According to this (Maximum number of supported nodes in a cluster), it appears you are allowed to run different versions. They go so far as to say you can run (maybe key word is supported) 2000 & 2003 versions in the same cluster.

So what does this all mean? I still don't know. I have only seen one place that says with only two nodes can you run one with Enterprise and one with Datacenter, but anything more requires the same OS. I just hope they don't flat out ask me on the test, and if they do, they make the other choices easy to eliminate.

Devilsbane

I don't see how you could run 2000 and 2003 in the same cluster. 2003 DE and 2003 EE maybe but I wouldn't be surprised if you couldn't.

One of the hardest things for studying for tests like these is all of the conflicting information. I have yet to find a source that is completely flawless.

Technito

Devilsbane wrote: »

One of the hardest things for studying for tests like these is all of the conflicting information. I have yet to find a source that is completely flawless.

I feel the exact same way. That's why I generally don't go too deep into books and articles just because of the conflicting information I always come across. I use books for just the information I think will help me get through an exam. I find I actually learn a lot more from doing the labs and setting everything up in a virtual environment. That way there's no question about what works and what doesn't work. And you'll easily be able to point out the discrepancies you read in books and articles.

RobertKaucher

I don't see the problem. Break out the eval software and set it up in a lab to see which is really correct!

DragonNOA1

RobertKaucher wrote: »

I don't see the problem. Break out the eval software and set it up in a lab to see which is really correct!

You want to send me a 2003 Datacenter iso then I'll gladly test it out.

RobertKaucher

DragonNOA1 wrote: »

You want to send me a 2003 Datacenter iso then I'll gladly test it out.

Well, the same rules should apply for 2008. Which you can easily download. Sadly I only have Enterprise eval for 2003 or I would gladly do it.

Fugazi1000

Further to this....

Does a cluster need to be part of an domain or will 2 EE nodes run as standalone (workgroup) server nodes?

And if not.... Does NLB need NetBIOS to function?

(we use Cisco for LB and I've had no real-world experience with the Microsoft approach).

RobertKaucher

Fugazi1000 wrote: »

Further to this....

Does a cluster need to be part of an domain or will 2 EE nodes run as standalone (workgroup) server nodes?

And if not.... Does NLB need NetBIOS to function?

(we use Cisco for LB and I've had no real-world experience with the Microsoft approach).

To my knowledge MS clustering requires AD to be in place.

I do not believe that NLB requires either NetBIOS nor AD. But I have not played with it in a non-domain environment. I have only used it in SharePoint farms in a domain.

Devilsbane

NLB shouldn't need NetBios, everything is over ip.

Devilsbane

I know this is old, but I'm studying the 70-293 and just read this and remembered this conversation, so I thought I would share.

Although Windows Server 2003, Enterprise Edition, and Windows Server 2003, Datacenter Edition, both support server clustering, you cannot create a cluster with computers running different versions of the operating system. All of the nodes in a cluster must be running either Enterprise Edition or Datacenter Edition. You can, however, run Windows 2000 Server in a Windows Server 2003, Enterprise Edition, or in a Windows Server 2003, Datacenter Edition, cluster.

Page 189 of the MS pressbook by Craig Zacker.

2000 is limited to cluster sizes of 2-4 and 2003 is limited to sizes of 8. I assume including the 2000 servers would prevent you from using the other 4-6 nodes.

Devilsbane

Devilsbane wrote: »

I don't see how you could run 2000 and 2003 in the same cluster. 2003 DE and 2003 EE maybe but I wouldn't be surprised if you couldn't.

haha, I was completely backwards