If you read Part 1 of this article, you are 1/2 way to a virtual cluster! Part 2 will cover the configuration of the shared disk and the 2 node cluster.

To start the configuration of the shared storage, ensure that the DC is running and that both Node 1 and Node 2 are shutdown. Add the Quorum VHD to Node 1 and connect it to SCSI ID 0 on the virtual SCSI controller.

Now start Node1 (leave Node2 shutdown for now) and when it has booted, login as a domain administrator. Right-click My Computer and choose Manage, then click on Disk Management. The Write Signature and Upgrade Disk Wizard will begin, complete the wizard choosing initialize Disk 1, but do not make it a dynamic disk. Create a partition on Disk 1 using all the space, use Q for the drive letter, label it Quorum Disk and format it with the NTFS file system. When this is complete, create a TXT file on the Q drive for verification later. Shutdown Node1. Edit the configuration of Node2 by adding the Quorum VHD to this virtual machine. Use the same configuration as Node1 and connect it to SCSI ID 0 on the virtual SCSI controller. Start Node2. When it has finished booting, go into Disk Management, you will see the drive listed, but it will have no drive letter assigned to it. Right-click the drive and select Change Drive Letter and Paths and give it drive letter Q.

Once complete, open up the Q drive and you should see your test TXT file. Shutdown Node2 and start Node1 to begin the configuration of the cluster. Leave Node2 shutdown until later, we first need to configure the cluster on Node1 before bringing Node2 online. Login to Node1 and start Cluster Administrator, it is located under Administrative Tools. On the Open Connection To Cluster window, select Create New Cluster.

The New Server Cluster Wizard will begin. On the first screen, choose the domain name from the drop down list and enter a unique NetBIOS name for the cluster. Next enter the name of the server that will be the first node in the cluster, in this case that would be Node1.

Click the Advanced button and then choose Advanced (minimum) Configuration. The node will be analyzed for any configuration errors. I created the primary hard drive as an IDE drive due to a limitation in the virtual SCSI adapter. I could (and you could too) use a 2nd virtual SCSI adapter for the system drive but IDE was just easier. Anyway you will get an error due to this, just ignore it.

Continue through the wizard and enter a unique IP address for the cluster on the Local Network (172.16.1.25 255.255.255.0 works), provide the username and password for the Cluster Service account we created and this will lead you to the Proposed Cluster Configuration screen.

Press the Quorum button and add the Q drive.

Click Next and the Cluster will be configured.

Now leaving Node1 running, start Node2. Once it has started, open Cluster Administrator on Node1 and click File --> New --> Node. The Add Cluster Computers Wizard will start. This is similar to the New Server Cluster Wizard, provide the name of the new node, in this case it is Node2, the Cluster Service credentials and finish out the wizard. Again you may get an error about the primary drive being an IDE drive but that is fine. When the wizard completes you will have a working 2 node cluster.

Try it out, right-click on Cluster Group and choose Move Group. Move the group to Node2, effectively failing over. Better yet, shutdown Node1 and lauch Cluster Administrator on Node2.