Frequently Asked Question

THIS IS A WORK IN PROGRESS... please be kind as I work out all the details.

We are going to make a 100% free* fail over cluster using Microsoft Hyper-V Server 2016 Core, Microsoft Windows 10 Pro (not activated) and Starwind vSAN Free (version 8 build 11456).

* You will need a trial copy of Microsoft Windows Server 2016 for the creation of domain controllers. This trial copy will last 180 days.
* This is not, technically, part of the cluster and is emitted from the part that is 100% free.

When done, we will have created what is pictured below.

What we need to create this:

• Windows Hyper-V Server 2016 Core installation media
• Windows 10 Pro installation media
• Starwind vSAN Free installation files (including a license file)
• 1x PC for Windows 10 Pro RSAT, Remote Server Administration Tools. (My Windows 10 PC is a VM.)
• 2x PCs for Windows Hyper-V Server 2016 Core installations. (My servers are Dell CS24-NV7 off lease servers with dual NICs.)
• 2x Mellanox 10Gbe adapters, one for each system.
• 1x 10Gbe cable to connect server 1 and server 2 together without a switch.
• 1x 1Gbe network switch.

I'll be using FTP, from the command line, to move files to/from the servers and the Windows 10 RSAT PC.

I'll be using the FTP Server 'Quick 'n Easy FTP Server 3.2 Lite' software as the server.

Here's how we do it:

1. Install any/all hardware necessary to complete this HOW-TO.
2. Load Microsoft Hyper-V Server 2016 Core onto each of the PCs that will act as servers in your cluster.
3. Change the IP address of the 1st NIC to be an address you can RDP into via the 'Server Configuration' menu (Option #8 then the NIC number to configure).
4. Use the 'Server Configuration' menu to enable 'Remote Management' (Option #4 then #1).
5. Use the 'Server Configuration' menu to enable Ping via the 'Remote Management' menu (Option $4 then #3).
6. Use the 'Server Configuration' menu to enable RDP via the 'Remote Desktop' menu (Option #7 then 'E').
7. Use the 'Server Configuration' menu to change the name of the system to HCI001 or HCI002 (depending on which PC you are on; Option #2 then enter a name)... then reboot.
8. Connect to each system via RDP.
   
   At this point my systems are configured as:
   Workstation #1 @ 10.1.1.30 named WIN10_RSAT w/Windows 10 and RSAT tools installed.
   Server #1 @ 10.1.1.10 named HCI001 w/Hyper-V Core installed.
   Server #2 @ 10.1.1.20 named HCI002 w/Hyper-V Core installed.
   
   
9. We are going to manually disable the firewall on each system with the command 'netsh advfirewall set allprofiles state off'.
   There is a script included in the directory to turn the firewall on and off. You may need to do this depending on your environment.
10. On both servers create a directory on C: called 'Install'.
11. FTP all script files, install files and license files to this directory.
    
12. Start PowerShell on HCI001 and run STEP01. You will want to do this on HCI002 as well.
    And run IPCONFIG to compare your NICs and IP addresses
    You should notice that when we run STEP01 we have NICs 1, 2 and 8.
    And when we run IPCONFIG we have NICs 1, 2 and 8 as well.
    If we look at STEP02 with 'type STEP02...' you will see this.
    We will want to modify this script to reflect your NIC numbers (1,2 and 8 respectfully to your numbering) and save it.
    
    NOTE: I am adding three IP addresses to NIC #8 in this script. This is for the iSCSI/MPIO, vSAN Heart Beat and vSAN Sync.
    
    Run STEP02 for the server you are on (HCI001 or HCI002). This will setup the NICs for the next steps.
    When done, you will have a setup, like this, on your servers.
    [IMAGE HERE]
13. At this point we have two servers setup to communicate on 10.1.1.x, 10.1.2.x, 10.1.3.x, 10.1.4.x and 10.1.5.x.
14. In order for our management system to connect to the hosts by name, we will edit out HOSTS file
15. We are going to need to configure our systems to allow for management from the Windows 10 machine (WIN10_RSAT).
    On each machine run the commands:
    enable-psremoting
    enable-wsmancredssp -role server
    set-item wsman:\localhost\client\trustedhosts [SERVER NAME] -concatenate -force
16. User Hyper-V manager to connect to the servers HCI001 and HCI002.
    
    
    
    

TO BE CONTINUED...