Updated Jan 20, 2005

W2k cluster test for use with DIAS.

Hi eh, I just wanted to see how DIAS works in a cluster.  If there is anything you want expanded on, just email me.

Here are my notes, they are based on the following documents:
Microsoft TechNet - Creating Highly Available File and Print Shares with Windows 2000 Cluster Service
Microsoft TechNet - Windows 2000 Clustering Technologies: Cluster Service Architecture
Microsoft TechNet - Step-by-Step Guide to installing Cluster Service
Microsoft Knowledge Base Article - 197046 - How to set up a print spooler on MS Cluster Server
Microsoft Knowledge Base Article - 228904 - Print Spooler support on MS Windows 2000 Server Cluster.
Canon PCL Driver Guide - PCL5e v6.50

DIAS - Canon Driver Information Assist Service - used to get device status through a Windows share.

The Cluster
I used one domain controller and two member servers.  The two member servers are identical and for the cluster.  Each has two network cards, one for the LAN and one for the cluster.  Connect a crossover cable between the two cluster NIC's.  We also have two external SCSI hard drives connected to both member servers, these are our shared resources.  We need two, one for the default cluster group and one for the spooler group(more later).

"Hey I all ready have a cluster setup, just tell me what I need to know to get DIAS to run."  Ok, Click here.

Setting up the servers (Make sure the external hard drives are off)
Install Windows 2000 Advanced Server with service pack 4 on all three servers using NTFS as the file system.
I did the default install with
Ok now we need to make a domain controller with active directory.  The two machines for the cluster can sit quietly for a bit.  On the computer that is to be used as the domain controller. click:
Start > Run > dcpromo <enter>
I sure wish I knew what windows was doing in the background, I guess that's why I like Unix.  Anyway, we're done installing the domain controller.  Reboot it and make sure DNS is working.  First, go in to the IP properties for the NIC and set the DNS server settings to itself (if it is not already set to the loopback).  Now go in to the DNS manager and add your reverse lookup zone adding the PTR for the domain controller.  now go to a command prompt and type:
nslookup <my-dc-name> <enter>

This should return the IP of the domain controller.  If not go figure out how DNS works and come back :-)

Time to connect our member servers to the domain.  First, go in to the IP properties for the LAN NIC and set the DNS server settings to the domain controller.  Now right click on 'My computer' and choose 'properties'.  Select the 'network identification' tab and click on 'properties'.  Choose member of domain and type in your domain name.  You'll have to authenticate and then reboot.

Now you will want to add a PTR record to the DNS for the two new member servers and then use the above nslookup command to verify operation.  If everything is working, it time to build the cluster.  woohoo.

Installing the cluster service:

Well not yet, we need to prep the network card settings and the hard drives to work in the cluster before we install the service.  First the network cards.  The network speed should be set manually instead of to autodetect for the two cluster NIC's.  View the properties of the local area connection for the cluster.  Click on 'configure' under the NIC.  Now click on the 'advanced' tab.  Look for something like 'Link Speed and Duplex' or 'media type' and change it from autoselect to what you are using.  I am using a crossover cable between two 10/100 cards so I set my settings to 100/half.  While we are looking at the network settings for the cluster NIC's(10.0.0.0/8), lets disable NetBIOS over IP.  Under TCP/IP properties, click advanced then on the WINS tab.  Select Disable NetBIOS over TCP/IP.  Remember this is just for the cluster interface, not the LAN interface.  Verify everything is working by pinging each node interface from the other node.  Ok lets setup the hard drives.

Prepping the hard drives. 
Make sure you only have one cluster node on at a time.  If both are on while the share resources are on and there is no cluster service running you can (and probably will) corrupt the drives.  So one at a time, do the following:
Power down both nodes.  Turn on the two shared drives.  Turn on node1.  When you are logged in as administrator, right click on 'My Computer' and select 'manage'.  Head on down to 'Disk Management' under 'Storage'.  There are many ways to proceed here.  The path I choose is far from correct but we do what we can with the resources available.  We need to setup our disks.  One is for the spooler and one is for the default cluster group.  We should have a third on a RAID  for the quorum disk (the disk that stores the stuff to manage the cluster).  However I don't and since I'm not using the disk in the default cluster group for anything, I partitioned off  a portion to use as my quorum disk.  Ok, back to disk management, make sure both disks are designated 'Basic'.  Setup one disk with two partitions and format all three partitions with NTFS.  Assign drive letters(remember to use these same ones on node 2 when you get there).  I used Q for the quorum drive, R for the other partition on the same drive, and S for the spool drive(the second drive).  Just quickly test that the drives are Ok.  Copy a small text file over to each partition and make sure you can open it.  Delete it and empty the recycle bin.
Wow, wasn't that a party?  Ok, power down node 1 and do the same thing on node 2.  Of course you won't have to recreate the partitions, just assign the correct drive letters and test for correct operation of the drives.  This would be a good time to create a directory called 'spool' on the S: drive which we will use during the custer installation.

Installing the cluster service:  (for real this time)
Assuming everything is turned off, turn on your shared drives and then the first node you wish to install the service on.  Once you are logged on as administrator, go to the control panel and launch the Add/Remove Programs and then Add/Remove Windows Components.  Select Cluster service and click next.  Some files install and then the wizard starts, click Next.  In order to continue you have to click 'I Understand' and Next.  This is the first node in the cluster, Next.  Name the cluster, I choose FOO, Next.  Select an account, for my small test cluster I just used the administrator account, Next.  Make sure all your shared disks are listed in the managed disks column, Next.  Choose the quorum drive we setup earlier, Next.  Read some stuff about networking and click Next.  Well, do some thinking here.  Check the IP address, is this the public or private network?  Make sure the card is enabled for use with the cluster and choose the appropriate function for the card.  for the 10/8 network choose 'Internal Cluster Communication only'.  For the other interface choose public or mixed.  I'm sure they want you to use mixed to avoid single point of failure but for our small test cluster I think public is fine.  Click next after configuring each card.  Type in the IP address the cluster will be available at and make sure you select the public interface, Next.  Click Finished, now the wizard does its thing.  You should get a pop up saying the service started ok.  Click ok and close all your windows. 

Test the node by opening the cluster manager.  Start > Programs > Administrative tools > Cluster Administrator

If everything looks ok it's time to setup the other node.  Leaving everything turned on, power up the second member server.  Once you are logged on as administrator, go to the control panel and launch the Add/Remove Programs and then Add/Remove Windows Components.  Select Cluster service and click next.  Some files install and then the wizard starts, click Next.  In order to continue you have to click 'I Understand' and Next.  Select 'the second or next node in the cluster' Next.  Type in the name of the cluster you want  to join, in my example we used FOO,(do not enable 'connect to cluster as'), Next.  Enter the admin password, Next.  Click Finished, now the wizard does its thing.  You should get a pop up saying the service started ok.  Click ok and wait for the wizard a little longer, then click finish again and close all your windows.

A quick note before we test the cluster.  I noticed in the event viewer, which I checked each step of the way, that the DTC doesn't play well with the cluster.  I recommend going into the services panel and stopping it.  It is on automatic so it will start up again when needed.  There is probably something I should read that will tell me more but I am not going to use my cluster.  Anyway, stop the service and we will start testing the server.

Open the cluster administrator again and see the new node attached.  It doesn't matter which node you open it from.  Just for a quick test, move Disk Group 1 from the first node to the second and back again.  From the cluster administrator click the plus sign (+) beside Groups.  Right click on Disk Group 1 and select Move Group.  You will see the owner of the resource will change after the device goes offline.  Do it again to move it back to the first node.  Hey, wow, our cluster works.

Print Spooler Group

I read somewhere, probably in one of the documents listed at the top of this page, that a spooler resource should not be used in the default cluster group.  So lets create a new group and all that is needed for a printer server on our cluster.  Right click in the left pane and select New, then Group.  Name the new group, I used prtsplr, and click next.  Add the two nodes to the preferred owners and keep node 1 on the top of the list, click Finish.
Now we need to add the resources used in the print spooler group. 
Right click in the left pane and select New, then Resource.  Enter a name and discription, the resource type will be 'IP Address' and the Group will be our new group.  Do not check 'Run this resource in a resource monitor', click Next.  Both nodes should be in posible owners, click Next.  No dependencies are needed here, just click Next.  Enter the network information for the printer server and click finished.  OK.

Right click in the left pane and select New, then Resource.  Enter a name and discription, the resource type will be 'Network Name' and the Group will be our new group.  Do not check 'Run this resource in a resource monitor', click Next.  Both nodes should be in posible owners, click Next.  Select and add the IP Address as the needed dependency, click Next.  Enter the network name for the printer server and click finished.  OK.

Our Physical Disk already exsist in another group.  We just need to move it to this group.  Click on resources in the left pane.  Right click on disk S: and take off line.  Right click on disk S: again and select change group, then ptrsplr(the new group).  It will ask you twice if you are sure.  respond OK.  Disk Group 1 should be empty now if you want to delete it. 

Right click in the left pane and select New, then Resource.  Enter a name and discription, the resource type will be 'Print Spooler' and the Group will be our new group.  Do not check 'Run this resource in a resource monitor', click Next.  Both nodes should be in posible owners, click Next.  Select and add the Network Name and Physical Disk as the needed dependencies, click Next.  Enter the location of the spool directory we setup earilier(S:\spool) for the printer server and click finished.  OK.

Right click on the new group name and click 'Bring Online'.  That's it, we have two virtual computers running on our cluster.  The default group and the ptrslpr group.  It couldn't hurt to add these to your DNS and we're done the MS stuff.  Lets add the Canon print driver and service.

Adding Canon DIAS

Well it is a cluster so we have to install the driver and service on both nodes.  We will have to reboot the server after the installation so just do one at a time.  From the Cluster Administrator move all the groups to one node.  Now lets install everything on the other node.  Download the setup.exe version of the driver.  I'm using the PCL5e v6.6 driver.  Run setup.exe, Next, I agree, Next.  Manually set port, Next, (no USB)Next.  Select PCL printer driver and Canon Driver Information Assist Service, Next.  Add/delete, select your model and click Add, OK, then Next.  Add port> settings> standard TCP/IP port> ok> wizard..input the IP address..end wizard> do not share the printer, Next, Start, Yes.  When it finishes, restart. 

When this node comes back up, don't forget to manual stop the DTC service.  Now move the cluster groups over to the newly running node and install the driver the same way on the other node.  When the second node comes up, don't forget DTC.

We are ready to add the DIAS service to the cluster.  Open the cluster administrator and the Services console.  Find the Canon Driver Information Assist Service in the services console.  You need to use the exact name as shown in the services console when setting up the cluster resource.  In the cluster administrator, Right click in the left pane and select New, then Resource.  Enter an arbitrary name and discription, the resource type will be 'Generic Service' and Group will be our print spoller group.  Do not check 'Run this resource in a resource monitor', click Next.  Both nodes should be in posible owners, click Next.  There are no dependencies, just click Next.  You must be very careful now.  Under 'Service name:' type the exact name as shown in the services console, probably 'Canon Driver Information Assist Service'.  Click Next.  Do not do anything with the Registry Replication, just click Finish.  The resource is added, click ok.  Right click on the new resource and bring online.

We are now ready to add a printer to the cluster that people can use.  Close all the windows and click Start > Run > \\<network name in spooler group> <enter>.  Open printers.  Click 'File' > 'Server properties' > the 'Ports' tab > Add port > Standard TCP/IP port > New Port.  Follow the wizard to setup the port the your printer, enter the IP address, Next, Finish.  Close the add port dialog and the print server properties.  Now Start the Add Printer wizard.  Next > (no changes) Next > (use the port use just made) Next > (select the driver you installed on the two nodes) Next > (Keep existing driver) Next > (I used the default name) Next > (enter a share name) Next > (arbitrary info) Next > (Do you want to print a start page?) Next > Finish.

Right click on the new printer and go to properties.  Click on the device settings tab.  Click on Get Device Status, Yes.  It should come back with Got Device status.  We are done.  People can use your new share to access the print and get device status.


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