Cannot Place Swap File on a Windows NT Cluster Shared Disk (226108)



The information in this article applies to:

  • Microsoft Windows 2000 Advanced Server
  • Microsoft Windows 2000 Datacenter Server
  • Microsoft Cluster Server
  • Microsoft Windows NT Server, Enterprise Edition 4.0

This article was previously published under Q226108

SYMPTOMS

The swap file for the members of a Microsoft Windows NT cluster cannot be created on a shared disk.

CAUSE

Shared disks in a cluster configuration are owned by a single node at any given time. At that time, the other nodes in the cluster are prevented from gaining access to the shared disks.

Although the nodes in a cluster work together, each node is still a separate entity with its own requirements. One of these requirements is that each node must be a separate entity capable of running Windows NT, Enterprise Edition, or Windows 2000 on its own. Therefore, if one node should stop working, the other nodes can continue to function. Among the items that each computer in a cluster requires is physical memory and a swap file that acts as an extension of that memory.

As a result of this design, the computers never share a swap file and the swap file is then never a single point of failure that could affect all nodes in the cluster.

STATUS

This behavior is by design.

Modification Type:MajorLast Reviewed:11/21/2003
Keywords:kbenv kbprb KB226108