Overview:
This three-day instructor-led course introduces Windows Server 2008 clustering and will provide you with the knowledge and skills to implement, maintain, and troubleshoot clusters.
Learning Method:
This course will be presented using a combination of lectures, group discussions and practical exercises. Each student will be provided with a comprehensive set of course notes. This hands-on course combines exercises and practical work to solidify your learning.
Who will benefit from this course?
This course is designed for IT professional technology specialists who are responsible for using clustering technologies to implement and maintain high-availability solutions.
Pre-requisites:
Before attending this course, you 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
In addition, you should have technical knowledge equivalent to the following courses:
What can you expect to gain from this course?
After completing this course, you will be able to implement, maintain, and troubleshoot clusters in their enterprise environment.
Course Content:
Module 1:Introduction to Clusters
- This module provides an overview of cluster concepts and functionality.
- Overview of Clusters
- Benefits of Using Clusters
- Overview of the Windows Server 2008 High Availability Solutions
- Exercise: Identifying Windows Server 2008 High Availability Solutions
- Identifying solutions for Web servers
- Identifying solutions for database servers
- Identifying complex solutions.
Module 2:Introduction to Microsoft Windows Server 2008 Failover Clusters
- This module describes key features and functionality of the Windows Server 2008 failover clusters.
- Overview of Windows Server 2008 Failover Clusters
- Key Windows Server 2008 Failover Cluster Features
- Overview of the Windows Server 2008 Quorum Models
- Exercise: Identifying Windows Server 2008 Clustering Solutions
- Identifying clustered scenarios.
Module 3:Preparing to Install a Failover Cluster
- This module describes the prerequisite requirements and planning required to install a Windows failover cluster.
- Overview of Requirements for Installing a Failover Cluster
- Planning the Failover Cluster Implementation
- Installing the Failover Cluster Feature and Validating the Cluster Configuration
- Installing the Failover Cluster on Windows Server 2008 Server Core
- Exercise: Preparing for a Cluster Installation
- Installing the failover cluster feature
- Validating the failover cluster.
Module 4:Overview of Failover Cluster Storage Requirements
- This module describes storage fundamentals and how to plan and implement storage solutions for failover clusters.
- Overview of Storage Technologies
- Introduction to Storage Area Networks
- Planning a Storage Solution for Failover Clusters
- Configuring an iSCSI Storage Connection
- Exercise: Identifying SAN Components
- Identifying fibre channel SAN components
- Configuring iSCSI storage connections.
Module 5:Configuring a Failover Cluster
- This module describes how to install and manage a failover cluster.
- Creating a New Failover Cluster
- Managing a Failover Cluster
- Verifying Failover Functionality
- Exercise: Creating and Administering a Cluster
- Creating a cluster
- Managing a failover cluster.
Module 6:Configuring Cluster Resources and Server Roles
- This module describes how to configure cluster resources and how to cluster common Window Server roles and applications.
- Configuring Cluster Resources
- Implementing Failover Clusters for Server Roles Using Failover Cluster Management
- Clustering Server Roles Using Windows Server Core
- Exercise: Clustering Server Roles and Features
- Clustering the print server role using failover cluster management
- Configuring cluster resources
- Clustering the file server role on Windows Server core
Module 7:Maintaining Microsoft Failover Clusters
- This module describes how to maintain and troubleshoot failover clusters.
- Monitoring Failover Clusters
- Backing Up and Restoring Failover Clusters
- Troubleshooting Failover Clusters
- Exercise: Maintaining Failover Clusters
- Monitoring failover clusters
- Performing backups on a failover cluster
- Performing an authoritative restore on a failover cluster.
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.
- Overview of Multi-Site Clusters
- Implementing Multi-Site Clusters Using Windows Server 2008
Module 9:Implementing Network Load Balanced Clusters
- This module describes how to install and maintain Network Load Balancing (NLB) clusters.
- Overview of Network Load Balancing Clusters
- Configuring a Network Load Balanced Cluster
- Maintaining a Network Load Balanced Cluster
- Exercise: Implementing an NLB cluster
- Preparing the NLB cluster nodes
- Configuring an NLB failover cluster.