Plan for Scale-Out File Server

Applies To: Windows Server 2012 R2, Windows Server 2012

Before you deploy Scale-Out File Server, you must first review the requirements and plan for the deployment. The information you should review includes:

• Failover Clustering requirements   Because a Scale-Out File Server is built on Failover Clustering, any requirements for Failover Clustering also apply to Scale-Out File Server.

• Server application storage requirements   Microsoft SQL Server and Hyper-V are the two server applications that are supported by Scale-Out File Server. You should review the storage requirements for the server application you plan to use.

• Existing storage in your organization   You can use existing storage that may already be deployed within your organization.

• Network configuration   You should review your network adapter configuration, the bandwidth of the CSV redirection traffic, and the DNS configuration for the cluster nodes.

Use the following steps to plan a Scale-Out File Server deployment in your organization:

• Step 1: Plan for Storage in Scale-Out File Server

• Step 2: Plan for Networking in Scale-Out File Server

After you have completed these planning steps, see Deploy Scale-Out File Server.

See also

• Provide cost-effective storage for Hyper-V workloads by using Windows Server

• Increasing Server, Storage, and Network Availability: Scenario Overview

• Deploy Hyper-V over SMB

• Deploying Fast and Efficient File Servers for Server Applications