After installing the Failover Clustering feature, and validating a configuration, the next step is to create a new cluster. There are some minor changes in the create cluster experience in Windows Server , but it is very similar to creating a cluster in Windows Server R2. The Create Cluster Wizard initializes. Review the information on the Before You Begin screen. Click Next. Enter the names of all the servers that will be part of the cluster. Note : More than one node can be specified at a time, using comma separation.
If the nodes specified have not been validated, the following page in the wizard will be shown. This will help ensure that the servers are connected and configured correctly and that it can be supported by Microsoft:. This cluster name is also the name that can be used to connect to the cluster to manage it. During cluster creation, a computer object will also be created in the Active Directory domain and Organizational Unit where the cluster nodes computer objects are located.
Click Next:. Note: If you do not want the Active Directory object for the cluster to be placed in the same Organizational Unit OU as the servers, the specific OU can be designated by specifying the full distinguished name like screen shot below:. Review the Confirmation screen. If all eligible storage will be added to the cluster, check the box Add all eligible storage to the cluster. Note: This ability to choose whether all eligible storage will be added to the cluster or not is new for Windows Server In previous versions all storage would always be added to the cluster.
If you choose not to add all eligible storage to the cluster, you can add specific disks after the cluster is created:. The cluster should be successfully created. Review the Summary report if desired. Click Finish. A Failover Cluster Manager will automatically connect to the cluster when the wizard finishes:. An alternate way to create a Failover Cluster is to use PowerShell. This can be accomplished with the New-Cluster PowerShell cmdlet. The following command creates 2-Node cluster Contoso-FC1 and it assumes that a DHCP assigned address can be assigned and all eligible storage is added.