Choose Network Services
Once you have decided on a cluster model, you will need to list all network services that your application is dependent upon so that you will know what additional hardware you may need. These services could include one or more of the following:
- DNS (Domain Naming Service)
- WINS (Windows Internet Naming Service)
- DHCP (Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol)
- Domain authentication
- Firewall services
- Routing
A dependent network service is any service that is not provided by the cluster and that your cluster is dependent upon to function properly. Naming services such as WINS and DNS are obvious dependencies to most cluster implementations, but some may overlook the not-so-obvious services such as domain authentication or static routes from a router to the local subnet. All of these dependencies will depend upon your particular network; so don't hesitate to investigate every requirement. If your network has an individual dedicated to wide area network (WAN) technologies, be sure to ask for his or her advice or concerns. It may save you some troubleshooting in the future.