In Microsoft Windows NT 4.0 and Microsoft Windows 2000 you
can perform a local quorum installation of a server cluster to create a
stand-alone cluster. This cluster is going to be a single server, with no
shared disk. This functionality remains the same with Windows Server 2003;
however, the Cluster service automatically creates the local quorum resource if
it does not detect a shared disk (no special switches or installation procedure
is required). Another new feature is the creation of a local quorum resource
after it has been installed on any cluster.
When you run a cluster
with a local quorum, the quorum information is stored in the
%SystemRoot%\Cluster\MSCS folder. Because this information is stored locally,
it is not replicated to other nodes in the cluster.
Caution Do not use a local quorum resource for the quorum on a multi-node cluster because this procedure can cause the loss of the cluster configuration data and the failure of the entire cluster. When you try to change the Quorum resource to a Local Quorum with a multi-node cluster, you receive the following error:
An error occurred attempting to make '<local quorum resource name>' the quorum resource
The parameter is incorrect.
Error ID: 87 (00000057).
To create a local quorum
resource after its installation:
- Start Cluster Administrator (the CluAdmin.exe
program).
- Right-click a group and click New, and then click Resource.
- Give the resource a name, and then click Local Quorum.
- Select only one node to be the possible owner of this
resource.
- Do not set any dependencies, just click Next.
- Click Finish.
- Right-click the new resource, and then click Bring Online.
You can now change the quorum disk designation if you want. For
information about how to do this, refer to the following Microsoft Knowledge
Base article:
280353 How to Change Quorum Disk
Designation