Configuring Hyper-V Failover Cluster Networks - Best Practice

The following will explain how to configure your cluster networks in a Microsoft Hyper-V Failover Cluster. Each of these networks should be meticulously configured to support their resources respectively.

A Hyper-V Failover Cluster should have the following networks:

  • CSV Failover
    • For clean failover of Cluster Shared Volumes
  • Live Migration
    • For live migrations of roles
  • Production
    • 2 Teamed NICs
    • Cluster Network IP Address
    • Management (Remote Desktop, MMC, Etc.. to host)
    • Host internet access
  • iSCSI (Optional)
    • iSCSI SAN / Storage Network

Configuring CSV Failover Network

  • Configure each Virtualization Host NIC as follows:
    • Public IP 
      • 10.0.0.x
      • 255.255.255.0
      • No GW
      • No DNS
  • Name the network in the Failover Cluster Manager
  • Configure it to "Alllow cluster network communication on the network" but not to "Allow clients to connect through this network"
  • Set the Metric of the Network to  800
    • Setting the metric of the CSV Failover network will ensure that this network has precident over the next. The CSV's will migrate before the VMs in the cluster.
    • Open PowerShell on one of the Virtualization Hosts
    • (Get-clusternetwork -name "CSV Failover").metric=800

Live Migration

  • Configure each Virtualization Host NIC as follows:
    • Public IP 
      • 10.0.1.x
      • 255.255.255.0
      • No GW
      • No DNS
  • Name the network in the Failover Cluster Manager
  • Configure it to "Allow cluster network communication on the network" but not to "Allow clients to connect through this network"
  • Set the Metric of the Network to  900
    • Open PowerShell on one of the Virtualization Hosts
    • (Get-clusternetwork -name "Live Migration").metric=900

Production

  • Private IP, GW, DNS
  • Name the network in Failover Cluster Manager
  • Configure the network to "Allow Cluster Network Communication" as well as "Allow clients to connect through this network"
    • This is to allow the IP of the Cluster Network Name to have a network to fail across

iSCSI

  • Public IP
    • Configure according to your group settings
    • i.e. 192.168.200.x, 255.255.255.0
    • Configure 4 ports for maximum bandwith / IOPs
  • Name the entwork in Failover Cluster Manager
  • Configure the network as "Do not allow cluster network communication on this network"
    • The iSCSI channel is used outside of hyper-v/Failover Clustering. If failover or client communication is allowed over this network, it can cause your environment serious issues

Configure the Live Migration Settings for the Cluster's Networks

  1. Right-click on "Networks" under your cluster name in the tree on the right
  2. Click "Live Migration Settings..."
  3. Only check the box beside your live migration network.


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