Ask the Core Team

What about showing how to create a MSDTC Group that has the MSDTC IP resource, MSDTC Network Name, MSDTC Physical Disk, and then create the MSDTC Resource DTC!

Oh, and make sure that the Q: drive is not used, only the T: (or at least that is how MS says it should be done!)  Not to be cynical but when you can do that and go by all the MS articles...then we're all learning something :)

I don't mean to rant but I'm installing a SQL 2k5 cluster and the hardest part is making sure the MSDTC has it's own resources and not installing into the default Cluster Group (ie. Q:, Cluster Name, etc.)

Thanks for your time.

DRMaul, it's not necessary to have a separate group with its own IP Address, Network Name and Physical Disk resources for MS DTC.

MS DTC resource is the only one we support be created in the Cluster Group.  The only thing we recommend when installing MS DTC in the Cluster Group, is that you uncheck the "Affect the group" box on the Advanced tab.

The reason why Microsoft SQL Technical Support recommends MS DTC be in its own separate group with its own IP Address, Network Name and Physical Disk resources, it's just in case SQL will ever be heavily used to distribute transaction from one SQL instance in the cluster to another SQL server.

With regards to the drive letter, it's irrelevant what drive letter is used just as long as it's not a letter from the beginning of the alphabet which are usually designated for system devices.