DHCP and WINS are cluster aware, NLB is not an option with DHCP
RADIUS, DNS, and WINS - Use round robin not load balancing, with
NLB software must be "cluster aware"
NLB should be <=32 servers.
NLB, unlike MS Clustering Service, does not share hard-disk storage.
NLB data is typically static and must be manually replicated.
NLB and MS Clustering Service must NOT be installed on the same machine.
Clustering will not work with Layer 3 switches, you must use a hub or Layer
2 switch. Layer 2 switches read header information for MAC addresses in
order to forward to destination port. Layer 3 switches, in the transport
layer, reads IP or IPX addresses. The MS Clusting Service creates a virtual
MAC address.
Clustering uses 2 NICs on each machine for efficiency. The 2 NICs on each
machine must all be on same segment (no crossover cables, etc).
Clustering Services provide up to 4 servers to act as a single machine,
through 1 logical IP address.
MS Clutering Service must have a quorum partition (or state partition).
The quorum partition is used by MS Clustering Services to communicate
"state of the cluster" information. It holds cluster registry and cluster
transaction log. You should also create a partition for each application
you plan to make available from the cluster.
Servers within a Cluster must be in an AD domain (all in the same domain).
The MS Clustering Service is dependant upon authentication, if no domain
controller is present, the cluster will not function.
MS Clustering Services uses a "share nothing" methodology. No disk resource
is owned by more than one machine at any one time. In the event of failure,
the ownership can be transfered to a surviving node.
Server Clustering Limitations
- Removable storage cannot be used for shared cluster disk storage
- You must use NTFS with basic disk configuration on all disks used for shared disk storage
- You cannot use Encrypting File System, Remote Storage, Mounted Volumes, or Reparse Points
- You cannot use software RAID on any shared cluster storage
- The cluster service only supports TCP/IP
- You cannot cluster Microsoft Terminal Server on a Windows 2000 Cluster
- Network Load Balancing and Cluster service cannot be used on the same machine
- Network Load Balancing will not work with a Token Ring topology