Active/Active file share cluster using MS 2003 Server

[ccbtpk]

I am trying to set an active/active file sharing service for our business but am having problems splitting the shares between the two nodes within my 2003 cluster.

Example..

My cluster is called TESTCLUSTER and my two nodes called TESTCLUS1 and TESTCLUS2.

I have two groups Shares1 and Shares2.

Shares1 has the right network resources and diskA that are owned and online on TESTCLUS1 and Shares2 has separate network resources and diskB that are owned and online on TESTCLUS2.

I then create a file share resource on a path on diskA and assign it to the group Shares1 and another file share resource on a path on diskB and assign it to the Shares 2.

If I click Start->run and type \\TESTCLUSTER I can only see the share that is online on Shares1 on TESTCLUS1. The other share can only be seen if I fail over Shares2 from TESTCLUS2 to TESTCLUS1.

This stops me from being able to split my file services load on my two nodes.

Any ideas why this is happening.

Thank you

Regards
Charles

 

[mrdenny]

This is the way that it is suposed to work. Each resource group is only owned by a single node therefor resources are only available on that node. In this case the file share resources are each in a group. If the resources aren't in the same group then you can't be sure they will be available on the same server.

To setup an Active/Active file server like you are trying to do with the same files being available from either node, setup a network share with the same name in each resource group. Use DFS to replicate the data between the network shares. Setup a DNS name which points to both virtual names as a single name for users to connect to (or have them simply connect to the network shares through DFS).

Denny
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[ccbtpk]

Denny

Thanks for the reply. My aim is to standardise on one name to get to the company files but also ensure high availability through the cluster so I will do it the way you suggest.

Thank you
Charles

 

[mrdenny]

Then a DFS link is the way to go. This way you can move it where ever you need to in the future and no one needs to know.

Denny
MVP
MCSA (2003) / MCDBA (SQL 2000)
MCTS (SQL 2005 / SQL 2005 BI / SQL 2008 DBA / SQL 2008 DBD / SQL 2008 BI / MWSS 3.0: Configuration / MOSS 2007: Configuration)
MCITP (SQL 2005 DBA / SQL 2008 DBA / SQL 2005 DBD / SQL 2008 DBD / SQL 2005 BI / SQL 2008 BI)

My Blog