Is domain controller needed for Deploying MSCS service in Win2k3 env

[mks6376]

Hi We are planning to deploy a MSCS on Windows2003 server. We plan to run IIS on clustered environment. I have 2 questions regarding the same
1. Do we need a Windows Domain to deploy MSCS? We plan to deploy the cluster environment in the DMZ where we don't have a Domain Controller and we don't plan to have one.

2. Are there any special considerations that need to be taken care for IIS in cluster.

Please let me know.

Thanks to all those who would respond.

 

[victorv]

Hi,
to run MSCS you need to be in a domain becouse
some resources you create in this env are owned by
M1 or M2 and the user must be the same. Also if
you define a user with the same name in the 2 boxes
which are in Workgroup, the SID is different and it is
as they are 2 different users. The only way is to
use an user in a Domain: in this case the user is
effectively the same.

A workaround (Microsoft suggested) is to use one
of the two machines as a domain controller, of
a domain in which there are just the 2 machines
or a few other more.

In general, also if for IIS is not suggested the
cluster, I don't see very negative considerations.
A time (I had just the two machine of the cluster)
I have implemented it without problems.

However, in your situation, I should prefer the
solution of Network Load Balancing, thinked for
Web Servers. (I have used, it is not a great program
as instead I consider MSCS, but this is what
the sw architecture can do; the best is a HW load balancer)
Furthermore, it seems to me that in Windows
Server 2003, you don't need the Advanced Server,
but Standard Edition: it is a less expensive solution.
In Windows 2000 you needed Adv. Srv. also for NLB.

bye