A: Hyper-V has, since its inception, relied on Windows Failover Clustering as its solution for virtual machine (VM) high availability. Windows Failover Clustering is a mature technology that has been operating since the days of Windows NT, and it remains a general-purpose clustering solution. As a result, the same technology that enables high availability for DNS or file servers is used for failing over Hyper-V VMs.
While this general-purpose architecture is very flexible, it can also be daunting to IT pros who aren’t clustering experts. Windows Failover Clustering comes equipped with a range of settings for tuning cluster services, not all of which may be appropriate or necessary for enabling Hyper-V high availability.
VMM 2012 eases the process of creating Hyper-V clusters by incorporating cluster creation into VMM. In VMM 2012, creating a new Hyper-V cluster requires little more than clicking Create, Hyper-V Cluster and following a short wizard. This wizard-driven process simplifies cluster creation and reduces the risk of a misconfiguration that could lead to VM failure.
Servers must be properly configured prior to joining them to a cluster with VMM’s new wizards. The correct configuration is documented in this TechNet article.
