What is a Microsoft Failover Cluster Virtual Adapter anyway?

re: What is a Microsoft Failover Cluster Virtual Adapter anyway?

Chetan Kumar Tammala — Mon, 22 Apr 2013 03:42:09 GMT

Thanks a lot for the detailed information; it's really useful.

BTW, I am having troubles with the "Microsoft Failover Cluster Virtual Adapter" on of the SQL 2008 cluster nodes. I was upgrading the NIC firmware/driver on this server and after this the "Microsoft Failover Cluster Virtual Adapter" is missing from the server (I can't see it in device manager). I am getting the below error:

"The Cluster Service was unable to access network adapter 'Microsoft Failover Cluster Virtual Miniport'. Verify that other network adapters are functioning properly and check the device manager for errors associated with adapter 'Microsoft Failover Cluster Virtual Miniport'. If the configuration for adapter 'Microsoft Failover Cluster Virtual Miniport' has been changed, it may become necessary to reinstall the failover clustering feature on this computer."

I refereed to support.microsoft.com/.../973838, but it suggests to re-install failover-cluster :-( is there any other way to fix this?

Thanks,

Chetan

re: What is a Microsoft Failover Cluster Virtual Adapter anyway?

JensW — Thu, 28 Mar 2013 09:54:28 GMT

Hi Chuck and John,

while searching a solution for an issue we currently have in a 2012 Hyper-V Cluster, I've seen your blog entry. One Cluster Node stops with a bugcheck, following are debug details:

PROCESS_OBJECT: fffffa809d6ad980

DEFAULT_BUCKET_ID: WIN8_DRIVER_FAULT

BUGCHECK_STR: 0x9E

PROCESS_NAME: System

CURRENT_IRQL: 2

TAG_NOT_DEFINED_c000000f: FFFFF88003563FB0

LAST_CONTROL_TRANSFER: from fffff88000ce4845 to fffff802abef3040

FOLLOWUP_IP:

netft!NetftProcessWatchdogEvent+dd

fffff880`00ce4845 cc int 3

SYMBOL_STACK_INDEX: 1

SYMBOL_NAME: netft!NetftProcessWatchdogEvent+dd

FOLLOWUP_NAME: MachineOwner

MODULE_NAME: netft

IMAGE_NAME: netft.sys

DEBUG_FLR_IMAGE_TIMESTAMP: 5010aa07

BUCKET_ID_FUNC_OFFSET: dd

FAILURE_BUCKET_ID: 0x9E_netft!NetftProcessWatchdogEvent

BUCKET_ID: 0x9E_netft!NetftProcessWatchdogEvent

Followup: MachineOwner

Hopefully you got any idea how to resolve this issue. OS is Windows 2012 Datacenter, all updates installed.

Thanks,

Jens

re: What is a Microsoft Failover Cluster Virtual Adapter anyway?

Yasenka — Fri, 31 Aug 2012 17:17:00 GMT

This note help me a lot. Virtual IP Address and Virtual Name can not be access it from main site to altern site.

I had a case were I had 2 more NIC and the wizar took another NIC different one that I used to configure the Cluster node, and the MAC Address was not realted with the NIC included into the Cluster, that was a crazy situation until found the reason. And after the the Router can not update the ARP request at the one end, so every time when a fail over happend the MAC address can not be update by the router an the connection is lost to Nodes and Virtual IP.

Look this note:

support.microsoft.com/.../244331

Thanks

re: What is a Microsoft Failover Cluster Virtual Adapter anyway?

Junaid Maqsood — Mon, 06 Jun 2011 23:22:47 GMT

Hi Chuck and John,

we recieved following error with event ID 1126

Cluster network interface '%1- Cluster %2' for cluster node '%1' on network 'Cluster Network %3' is unreachable by at least one other cluster node attached to the network. The failover cluster was not able to determine the location of the failure. Run the Validate a Configuration wizard to check your network configuration. If the condition persists, check for hardware or software errors related to the network adapter. Also check for failures in any other network components to which the node is connected such as hubs, switches, or bridges.

Could You please explain the reason why did we recieved following error in Event logs. Also Event ID 1129 in listed in the event logs. could you please help us on this.

Many Thanks

Junaid

re: What is a Microsoft Failover Cluster Virtual Adapter anyway?

Ed Skolnik — Wed, 30 Mar 2011 20:58:03 GMT

The problem is this virtual or hidden adapter IP address then shows up when you ping the local host name instead of the actuly assigned IP address of the server. This messes with name resoultion when software tries resolve the host name via ping.

re: What is a Microsoft Failover Cluster Virtual Adapter anyway?

Alejandro Mihanovich — Mon, 03 Jan 2011 22:03:48 GMT

Jeff,

Great article! thanks for the explanation. Also, I think that in your "how to get in trouble" section, you should include the fact that some companies have the "DHCP client" disabled as a server policy. This requires some explanation as to why is it needed even tough no Dynamic IPs are required

re: What is a Microsoft Failover Cluster Virtual Adapter anyway?

Alejandro Mihanovich — Mon, 03 Jan 2011 22:03:47 GMT

Jeff,

re: What is a Microsoft Failover Cluster Virtual Adapter anyway?

Alejandro Mihanovich — Mon, 03 Jan 2011 22:03:19 GMT

Jeff,

re: What is a Microsoft Failover Cluster Virtual Adapter anyway?

Mats Lillnor — Wed, 08 Dec 2010 08:53:49 GMT

Thanks for the info. I searched and found this article when the phenomenom occurred.

Strange thing is that this adapter only exists on one of my nodes and only after reinstalling it.

I run a two node Hyper-V cluster on 2008 R2. When we set it up a few month ago there was no Cluster Virtual Adapters on any of the nodes. Due to hardware problems on one of the nodes we have re-installed it. First evicted the node in the cluster and cleaned out all traces of the old account and then reinstalled OS from scratc on the new server and then joined the cluster. This "Microsoft Failover Cluster Virtual Adapter" now turned up on the newly installed node but does not exist on the other.

On another cluster I manage which is also a two node 2008 R2 Hyper-V there are no such adapters.

Is there a change in this behaviour between 2008 and 2008 R2?

How come this adapter only shows up on one of the nodes in one of the clusters?

/Mats

re: What is a Microsoft Failover Cluster Virtual Adapter anyway?

MattMC — Tue, 19 Oct 2010 11:19:18 GMT

Thanks for explaining this.

I first noticed this adapter when performed a ping of the local host name as it reply's on this adapter!

MattMC