ALR

Yes mate, and it is. Both the iSCSI IP addresses are listed in there as being connected. I have just forced a client to Authenticate with DC03 with lmhosts file and the problem appeared immediately so I know this is the problem now. Is there anyway to stop DC03 authenticating users but still load balance between DC01 and DC02? Thanks for all your help so far. Cheers, Al

Hi Mate. I get the basics of how the Cluster worked with other Members servers on the network, it's the two cluster nodes (DC02 & DC03) that I'm puzzled with. On DC02 in My Computer, all the iSCSI drives are listed (one being UserData) in DC03 only the local HDD of the Server is listed, not the iSCSI drives. I know that DCs shouldn't really be in Clusters but this is the system I've inherited (only been in role 4 weeks, baptism of fire or what!). On the up side, going full VM in Summer, but got to fix this problem as we cannot carry on like this til Summer!! Thanks for your help so far! Al

Hi Ricki, There are a lot of ARPs coming from both our Sharepoint server and Application server but the company whom we pay to support our AD and switch config say that it's fine even though I'm sure something keeps surging the network randomly though the day. Will Post back what I find but I'm pretty sure now that the issue is the fact that one of the CLuster nodes cannot see the iSCSI harddrives in My Computer.. Thanks, Al

I think I'm getting somewhere with this. I've worked out that each time a user loses their files, the log on via a particular DC on the Cluster. Now this server cannot see the iSCSI connections to the SAN but I'm not sure if this would cause a problem. Does anyone out there know Cluster Services inside out alongside SAN iSCSI connections? Cheers, Al

Is there no-one out there who has either had this problem or who has any clue as to the cause? Cheers, Al

Hi, I've inherited a real mess of a network and, amongst all the other things going wrong in new employment and ripping out all the Comms Cab patching and doing it again, I've come across a real head scratcher. I'm running a mainly 2003 Server environment with one 2008 box as a member server. I have three 2003 DCs, two of which are cluster nodes (don't ask my why because I do not know). The cluster has iSCSI ports to a SAN where all user data, profiles, home folders etc are stored. My problem is that, randomly, a user will log on and access their home folder (which is mapped to the S:\ drive in AD) and all their files and folders will be gone. When I look on the SAN via the Cluster, the home folder looks like it is a new User folder which automatically gets 4 folders created when they first log on. I will restore the files using Previous Versions and then a random amount of time later it will happen again. If the user keeps themselves logged on overnight, they do not lose their files. If they log off then, every now and then all the files will be gone. I cannot link this down to a single OU problem or a specific group of workstations. There are no patterns it is just completely random. Many may shout at me about having DCs as Cluster nodes is a BAD IDEA but I know at least four other Network Managers who have a similar environment but whose users do not lose data. If anyone can shed any light on this or help me out in any way I will be really grateful because I am one step away from ripping the Cluster to pieces and starting again and if I can, I really want to avoid doing that if at all possible! Many Thanks, Al