Setting up the WFC Domainless (workgroup) in Windows Server 2019 but stuck at "Forming cluster ..."

Question

Hi there,

I'm working on setting up 2 Windows servers 2019 for building an AG SQL but facing some errors, first let me point out our configurations :

• The environment is workgroup (domainless)
• 02 servers has the same configurations (RAM, CPU, DISK, SHAREDISK for QUARUM, same HOST file, administrator password ..)
• both of them are changed name and also dns suffix
• All of the steps i had followed is from microsoft's document and i successfully set up for many AG running on Windows server 2016
• Here is the document i used : https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/azure-sql/virtual-machines/windows/availability-group-clusterless-workgroup-configure?view=azuresql

However, i've got stuck at Forming CLuster ... the step after validating the cluster as the image i've attached below:

Thank you.

Answer 1

Hello Ngô Minh Tùng,

Thank you for your question and for reaching out with your question today.

The "Forming cluster" phase involves creating a Windows Server Failover Cluster in preparation for configuring the Always On Availability Group. Here are some steps and troubleshooting tips that might help you resolve it getting stuck:

Double-check that you have met all the prerequisites for setting up a WSFC in a workgroup environment. This includes configuring DNS, network settings, time synchronization, and ensuring that there are no firewall rules blocking the necessary communication.

Confirm that both servers can communicate with each other over the network. Use tools like ping and telnet to verify connectivity between the servers on the required ports.

Ensure that both servers have synchronized time. In a workgroup environment, you might consider using an external time source or configuring one server as the time source for the other.

Verify that you are using an account with local administrator privileges on both servers when configuring the cluster.

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Answer 2

Hi Ngô Minh Tùng, Hope you're doing well. You might want to check and troubleshoot the following: 1. Network Configuration: Ensure that all nodes in the cluster can communicate with each other over the network. Verify the network settings, including IP addresses, subnet masks, and DNS configuration. 2. Firewall Settings: Check the firewall settings on each node. The required ports for cluster communication need to be open. Microsoft provides a list of required ports for clustering that you can review. **3. Node Names and Identifiers:**Confirm that each node has a unique name and identifier. The nodes use identifiers for communication, and duplicates can cause issues. 4. Time Synchronization: Verify that the clocks on all nodes are synchronized. Time discrepancies between nodes can lead to communication problems. 5. Enable NetBIOS: Ensure that NetBIOS over TCP/IP is enabled on all nodes. Some clustering components rely on NetBIOS for name resolution. 6. Shared Storage: If you're using shared storage (e.g., a shared disk), confirm that it is accessible from all nodes. Permissions and access to shared resources are crucial. 7. Run Validate a Configuration: Use the "Validate a Configuration" wizard in Failover Cluster Manager to perform a pre-check of your configuration. This can identify potential issues before you try to create the cluster. Here is the relevant document for you reference: Workgroup and Multi-domain clusters in Windows Server 2016 - Microsoft Community Hub I hope this helps! Best Regards, Ian Xue

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