Microsoft® SQL Server 2012 Unleashed

Windows Failover Cluster Services

Windows Failover Cluster Services (WFCS) is actually considered a part of the basic HA foundation components described earlier, except that it’s possible to build an HA system without it (for example, a system that uses numerous redundant hardware components and disk mirroring or RAID for its disk subsystem). Microsoft has made WFCS the cornerstone of its clustering capabilities, and WFCS is used by applications that are cluster enabled. A prime example of a cluster-enabled technology is Microsoft SQL Server 2012 (and most of its components). For more on clustering or SQL clustering, see Chapter 42, “SQL Server Clustering.”

WFCS can be set up in an active/passive or active/active mode. Essentially, in an active/passive ...