Checklist: Preparation for upgrading a cluster

Applies To: Windows Server 2003, Windows Server 2003 R2, Windows Server 2003 with SP1, Windows Server 2003 with SP2

Checklist: Preparation for upgrading a cluster

Step	Reference
Check that your hardware, including your cluster storage hardware, is compatible with Windows Server 2003, Enterprise Edition. Be aware that geographically dispersed (majority node set) server clusters are built on a networking and storage infrastructure with characteristics that are very different than a standard quorum device server cluster, and, as such, are certified under a separate testing program. If you are considering converting your existing server cluster to a geographically dispersed server cluster, you must work with your hardware vendor to obtain a geographically dispersed server cluster configuration that has been certified by Microsoft. For more information on majority node set server clusters, see Choosing a Cluster Model.	Hardware compatibility
Check with the manufacturer of your cluster storage hardware and be sure you have the drivers you need.	Mass storage drivers and the setup process
Review concepts for upgrading cluster nodes, choose the method you will use, and review the instructions for the method you chose. Caution If you are using any method other than a rolling upgrade (or a rolling upgrade with one or more resources offline), be sure to review and follow the instructions carefully to prevent corruption of the cluster storage. That is, for methods other than a rolling upgrade, be sure to complete the upgrade and start the Cluster service on one node before allowing another node to gain access to the cluster storage.	Concepts for installing and upgrading cluster nodes How to upgrade cluster nodes
Review the checklist for upgrading the operating system.	Checklist: Performing an upgrade
Review procedures for starting and running Setup.	Start Setup on an x86-based computer Start Setup on an Itanium architecture-based computer Start Setup on an x64-based computer
Carry out the method you chose for upgrading of cluster nodes.	How to upgrade cluster nodes