Unclustering Windows Server 2008 R2 RC Hyper-V Failover Cluster
Hi All,
Is it possible to uncluster Windows Server 2008 R2 RC based Hyper-V Failover Cluster and upgrade the OS from RC to RTM and then create the cluster again and continue to run Virtual Machines?Microsoft does not support upgrade on Windows Server 2008 R2 RC based Failover Cluster.
All Replies
- Have you attempted to:
build a new R2 host, joining that to the cluster, migrating VMs to it (to free up hardware), updating the ICs in the VMs, and then taking the empty host, remove it from the cluster, unjoin, rebuild, rejoin, add to cluster, and so on??
As always, getting good backups of your VMs before attempting anything?
Brian Ehlert (hopefully you have found this useful) In my testing I have been able to remove Failover clustering without any issue and upgrade.
http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/dd979563%28WS.10%29.aspx
This link support that claim. But that was in a test lab. Since you are going through all of the work of removing the cluster I would highly suggest doing a complete reinstall as in my opinion it's cleaner.
Joseph Noga MCITP, MCSE, MCSA, MCTS CCNA,CCDA,CCVP Managing Consultant VSD TechnologiesThanks Brian and Joseph for your replies.
Brian,
I dont have additional machine to go with your approach.Joseph,
If you did upgrade your base OS from RC to RTM, can you provide High-Level steps of it. Also, how many nodes you had in the cluster? I have only two nodes in the cluster. If i uncluster it in such a scenario, i will lose everything if dont do an export before unclustering it?- I had two nodes as well. Here are two good links to fllow that will give you the correct steps for migration.
I had to destroy the cluster uninstall the feature upgrade the host and then do the same on the other node.
The KB link below is a great step by step doc for this process. Make sure you have a good working backup plan!
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx/kb/957256
http://blogs.msdn.com/clustering/archive/2009/09/02/9890272.aspx
Joseph Noga MCITP, MCSE, MCSA, MCTS CCNA,CCDA,CCVP Managing Consultant VSD Technologies Hello,
I'd follow the same. In the cluster upgrades I've done, I've created a new cluster, then moved the VMs in through import / export as is documented in "957256", or I've moved them using SCVMM from one cluster to another. You can create the new one-node cluster in which to migrate your VMs into.
Thanks,
Nathan Lasnoski- I get your point Joseph and Nathan, but my other bigger problem is that I have to shift to a new SAN as well and move all the machines. Now, in such a scenario, what should be the approach.
Take Backup of VM through Export
Join Machines to new SAN
Create Hyperv Cluster and CSV
Import VMs to the new SAN
????? - Yes. I would export the VM, take the opportunity to make a copy of it to removable media, and import the VM into a CSV in a new Hyper-V R2 cluster.
That's how I would do it.
Joseph Noga MCITP, MCSE, MCSA, MCTS CCNA,CCDA,CCVP Managing Consultant VSD TechnologiesSo, Quick Storage Migration is out of the question?
- Quick Storage Migration would be used to move a VM from one storage target to another within a single cluster. It would handle a SAN migration very well.
Hi,
Failover Clustering Upgrade Path from WS08 R2 RC to WS08 R2 RTM
http://blogs.msdn.com/clustering/archive/2009/09/02/9890272.aspx
Vincent Hu
