Here’s a quick post about how great PowerShell can be for your clusters.

I’m in the middle of configuring a few machines in clusters and recently added a new node to a cluster that was already built (but not configured). I needed to have that final node be a possible owner for all 33 presented disks on that cluster.  To do that through the cluster GUI would require a heck of a lot of mouse clicks….PowerShell to the rescue!

The Windows PowerShell Modules (under Administrative Tools) allow you to do all kinds of wonderful things with clusters.

Allowing a single disk to be owned by the extra server is as simple as:

CLUSTER RESOURCE "Cluster Disk 1" /addowner:DBSERVER1

If I want to do that for 33 disks a quick PowerShell one-liner takes care of it:

$i=1;do {cluster resource `"Cluster Disk $i`" /addowner:DBSERVER1;$i = $i +1} while ($i -lt 33)

Here’s a version that’s a little more readable:

$DiskNo = 1

DO

    { CLUSTER RESOURCE `"Cluster Disk $DiskNo`" /addowner:DBSERVER1

        $DiskNo = $DiskNo+1

    }

WHILE ($DiskNo -lt 33)

Quick and easy. Saved my clicky finger lots of work.

More PowerShell and cluster fun coming up in the next few weeks.