CX700 with 4 node Exchange 2007 Cluster

I have deployed 2 and 4 node Exchange, file, and print clusters on CLARiiON storage and have always followed the practice of using one Storage Group for all LUNs. In the cluster all the LUNs need to be accessible to all other nodes so there is no need for separate storage groups.

Unless you have requirements for storage that will not be included in any clustered resources, and should only be accessible to a single node, then I don't see a need for more than one Storage Group.

Aran

Well isn't that convenient .

Dynamox,

Where do I find this doc?

Harold

Yes, I believe that is the proper setup. Our design was blessed by both Microsoft and Dell (it was required by the customer) so it is a vendor supported solution. Remember too with Microsoft Cluster Services that all nodes expect to be able to access all shared storage within the cluster, regardless of whether that particular node is configured to host the resources.

I haven't played around with Exchange 2007, but with Exchange 2003 we controlled the nodes that would host the Exchange resources by setting the Possible Owners attribute on the System Attendant resource within each Virtual Server. This allowed us to design the failover behavior of the Virtual Servers. Microsoft has some good technet articles on this, do a search on "failover behavior cluster three nodes".

Good luck with the deployment,
Aran

Aran,

Thanks for the reponse. My thinking on the separate SGs was to place the specific LUNS with a specific active host. Other clusters, I've always put all LUNs in a common SG but this is the first active, active, active, passive lash-up cluster I've addressed.

So, if I do put all LUNs into one SG, then let the specifc hosts mount the needed LUNS and let the cluster management take care of keeping the LUNs separate, I should be OK. Is that what you're advocating?

I really appreciate your input.

Harold

It's on Powerlink at:
Support > Documentation/White Paper Library > White Papers > All White Papers