Windows Hyper-V cluster resource drive mapping same as GPO network drive mapping

Question

Dear Sir,

 Customer has setup a Windows Hyper-V cluster server (HVS01, HVS02), with VM Guest (Guest01) installed.

In the Hyper-V host, it will use O: shared disk allocated to the VM guest01.

When the administrator login to the Hyper-V, he will use the domain admins ID login which use the GPO to map O: as network mapping \Guest01\Common folder.

May I know will it has any conflict if the server HVS01 live migration failover to HVS02 as the O: had been mapped to network share?

Do it has any document which mentioned how to handling when the local drive letter mapping which are as same as network drive mapping?

Please suggest.

Joe Tam

Answer 1

Hello Joe,

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

When performing a live migration failover of a Hyper-V virtual machine (VM) from one host (HVS01) to another host (HVS02), there can be potential conflicts if the drive letter assigned to the shared disk (O:) in the VM Guest01 is already being used on the destination host (HVS02).

Here are some considerations and suggestions to handle this situation:

1. Conflict Detection: During the live migration process, the Hyper-V cluster should detect any potential conflicts in drive letters between the source and destination hosts. It should automatically handle the reassignment of drive letters to avoid conflicts.
2. Drive Letter Configuration: To minimise conflicts, ensure that the drive letter used for the shared disk (O:) in the VM Guest01 is not commonly used on the destination host (HVS02) or any other VMs running on it. Choose a less frequently used drive letter to reduce the chances of conflicts.
3. Pre-Configuration on Destination Host: If you anticipate a potential conflict, you can manually configure the destination host (HVS02) to avoid conflicts before performing the live migration. This involves ensuring that the drive letter (O:) is not already assigned or used by any other disks or network mappings on the destination host.
4. Network Drive Mapping: If both the local drive letter (O:) and the network drive mapping (\Guest01\Common) are using the same letter (O:), there can be conflicts. It is generally recommended to use different drive letters for local disks and network drive mappings to avoid such conflicts.

Regarding documentation, Microsoft provides detailed guidance on configuring and managing Hyper-V clusters and live migrations. You can refer to the official Microsoft documentation and technical resources for Hyper-V, Failover Clustering, and Live Migration. These resources provide step-by-step instructions, best practices, and considerations for handling various scenarios in Hyper-V environments.

It's always recommended to perform proper testing and validation in a non-production environment before implementing changes or performing live migrations in a production environment.

I used AI provided by ChatGPT to formulate part of this response. I have verified that the information is accurate before sharing it with you.

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Best regards.