question about procedure to add SAN storage to existing 2003 clust

We have an existing Windows 2003 R2 two node active/passive cluster that's
been set up and running for several years. The cluster is a file server and
holds user and shared files (no Exchange or SQL). The disks are through a
SAN attached to an EMC CX700 array.

We're needing to add an additional "drive" to the cluster. I'm trying to
find out some more information on what I need to do on the Windows side once
the storage is all set up on the SAN end. I've set up the SAN drives,
presented them to the Windows servers, etc. on other projects, but on the
cluster setups it's only been when the cluster was being built; I've not
added one after the cluster is already running.

I've done some searching and seen various comments about shutting down the
inactive node, etc., but found other comments that say it's not necessary to
do that anymore if you follow the steps in KB555312.

I'm just trying to find out what I need to do without interrupting the
running cluster resources. I can shut down and/or reboot the passive node
if necessary, but I can't do anything on the active one (at least not without
user and management involvement). If possible, I would like to avoid
shutting down the inactive node, just in case something happens on the active
one while the passive one is down.

Best bet is to plan on an outage as no procedures are guaranteed. Here's
what I would do:

1) Mask the LUN to one node of the cluster and create the partition, format
and add drive letter/mount point
2) Make a temporary cluster group in cluadmin and add this disk to that
group
3) Mask the LUN to the other node(s) of the cluster
4) Test moving the temporary group between nodes.

Regards,
John

Visit my blog: http://msmvps.com/blogs/jtoner

"Mike O." <> wrote in message
news:CABFD34E-F3AC-42E8-B959-...
> We have an existing Windows 2003 R2 two node active/passive cluster that's
> been set up and running for several years. The cluster is a file server
and
> holds user and shared files (no Exchange or SQL). The disks are through a
> SAN attached to an EMC CX700 array.
>
> We're needing to add an additional "drive" to the cluster. I'm trying to
> find out some more information on what I need to do on the Windows side
once
> the storage is all set up on the SAN end. I've set up the SAN drives,
> presented them to the Windows servers, etc. on other projects, but on the
> cluster setups it's only been when the cluster was being built; I've not
> added one after the cluster is already running.
>
> I've done some searching and seen various comments about shutting down the
> inactive node, etc., but found other comments that say it's not necessary
to
> do that anymore if you follow the steps in KB555312.
>
> I'm just trying to find out what I need to do without interrupting the
> running cluster resources. I can shut down and/or reboot the passive
node
> if necessary, but I can't do anything on the active one (at least not
without
> user and management involvement). If possible, I would like to avoid
> shutting down the inactive node, just in case something happens on the
active
> one while the passive one is down.
>
>
>
>