Configuring MSCS for high availability

Products

• VMware vCenter Server

Issue/Introduction

• The article details steps around setting up a Microsoft Cluster Service (MSCS) as an availability solution for vCenter Server.
• MSCS as an availability solution for vCenter Server is provided only for management nodes of vCenter Server (M node). For infrastructure nodes, customers must deploy multiple N nodes for high availability. You cannot have M and N nodes on the same VM for MSCS protection.

Resolution

To setup a Microsoft Cluster Service (MSCS) as an availability solution for vCenter Server:

1. Power on the VM.
2. Format the two RDM disks, assign them drive letters, and convert them to MBR.
3. Using Windows > Server Manager > Features, install .net.
4. Install vCenter Server on one of the RDM disks and set the start option to manual.
5. Power off the VM.
6. Detach the RDM disks.

Detaching the RDM disks is not a permanent deletion. Do not select Delete from disk and do not delete the vmdk files.

7. Clone the VM. Do not select the Customize the operating system option.

Do not use the default or custom sysprep file, so that the clone has the same SID.

8. Attach the shared RDMs to both VMs and power them on.
9. Change the host name and IP address on the first VM (VM1).

Note the original IP address and host name that were used at the time of the installation of vCenter Server on VM1. This information is used to assign a cluster role IP.

10. Install failover clustering on both nodes.
11. To create an MSCS cluster on VM1, include both nodes in the cluster. Also select the validation option for the new cluster.
12. To start configuring roles, select Generic Service and click Next.
13. Select VMware Service Lifecycle Manager from the listed services and click Next.
14. Enter the host name and IP used for the VM1. Then assign the RDM to the role.
15. In the Replicate Registry Settings wizard, add the registry key SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\VMwareDirectoryService and click Next.
16. Using Add Resource, add the VMware AFD and VMware vCenter Configuration services to the role by 'Add Resource' action.
17. Add Cluster Disk and Cluster Role IP resource as dependencies for 'VMware vCenter Configuration Service'.
18. Stop and restart the role.