Windows Server Failover Clustering Description
Failover Clustering in Windows Server (and Azure Local) allows a collection of independent servers to collaborate, enhancing both availability and scalability for clustered roles, which were previously referred to as clustered applications and services. These interconnected nodes utilize a combination of hardware and software solutions, ensuring that if one node encounters a failure, another node seamlessly takes over its responsibilities through an automated failover mechanism. Continuous monitoring of clustered roles ensures that if they cease to function properly, they can be restarted or migrated to uphold uninterrupted service. Additionally, this feature includes support for Cluster Shared Volumes (CSVs), which create a cohesive, distributed namespace and enable reliable shared storage access across all nodes, thereby minimizing potential service interruptions. Common applications of Failover Clustering encompass high‑availability file shares, SQL Server instances, and Hyper‑V virtual machines. This functionality is available on Windows Server versions 2016, 2019, 2022, and 2025, as well as within Azure Local environments, making it a versatile choice for organizations looking to enhance their system resilience. By leveraging Failover Clustering, organizations can ensure their critical applications remain available even in the event of hardware failures.
Windows Server Failover Clustering Alternatives
JS7 JobScheduler
JS7 JobScheduler, an Open Source Workload Automation System, is designed for performance and resilience. JS7 implements state-of-the-art security standards. It offers unlimited performance for parallel executions of jobs and workflows.
JS7 provides cross-platform job execution and managed file transfer. It supports complex dependencies without the need for coding. The JS7 REST-API allows automation of inventory management and job control.
JS7 can operate thousands of Agents across any platform in parallel.
Platforms
- Cloud scheduling for Docker®, OpenShift®, Kubernetes® etc.
- True multi-platform scheduling on premises, for Windows®, Linux®, AIX®, Solaris®, macOS® etc.
- Hybrid cloud and on-premises use
User Interface
- Modern GUI with no-code approach for inventory management, monitoring, and control using web browsers
- Near-real-time information provides immediate visibility to status changes, log outputs of jobs and workflows.
- Multi-client functionality, role-based access management
- OIDC authentication and LDAP integration
High Availability
- Redundancy & Resilience based on asynchronous design and autonomous Agents
- Clustering of all JS7 Products, automatic fail-over and manual switch-over
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AdRem NetCrunch
NetCrunch is a next-gen, agentless infrastructure and traffic network monitoring system designed for hybrid, multi-site, and fast changing infrastructures. It combines real-time observability with alert automation and intelligent escalation to eliminate the overhead and limitations of legacy tools like PRTG or SolarWinds. NetCrunch supports agentless monitoring of thousands of nodes from a single server-covering physical devices, virtual machines, servers, traffic flows, cloud services (AWS, Azure, GCP), SNMP, syslogs, Windows Events, IoT, telemetry, and more.
Unlike sensor-based tools, NetCrunch uses node-based licensing and policy-driven configuration to streamline monitoring, reduce costs, and eliminate sensor micromanagement. 670+ built-in monitoring packs apply instantly based on device type, ensuring consistency across the network.
NetCrunch delivers real-time, dynamic maps and dashboards that update without manual refreshes, giving users immediate visibility into issues and performance. Its smart alerting engine features root cause correlation, suppression, predictive triggers, and over 40 response actions including scripts, API calls, notifications, and integrations with Jira, Teams, Slack, Amazon SNS, MQTT, PagerDuty, and more.
Its powerful REST API makes NetCrunch perfect for flow automation, including integration with asset management, production/IoT/operations monitoring and other IT systems with ease.
Whether replacing an aging platform or modernizing enterprise observability, NetCrunch offers full-stack coverage with unmatched flexibility. Fast to deploy, simple to manage, and built to scale-NetCrunch is the smarter, faster, and future-ready monitoring system. Designed for on-prem (including air-gapped), cloud self-hosted or hybrid networks.
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HPE Serviceguard
HPE Serviceguard for Linux (SGLX) is a clustering solution focused on high availability (HA) and disaster recovery (DR) that aims to ensure maximum uptime for essential Linux workloads, whether they are deployed on-premises, in virtualized setups, or across hybrid and public cloud environments. It consistently tracks the performance of applications, services, databases, servers, networks, storage, and processes; when it identifies issues, it rapidly initiates automated failover, typically within four seconds, all while maintaining data integrity. SGLX accommodates both shared-storage and shared-nothing architectures through its Flex Storage add-on, which allows for the provision of highly available services like SAP HANA and NFS in situations where SAN is not an option. The E5 edition, which is solely focused on HA, offers zero-RPO application failover alongside comprehensive monitoring and a user-friendly workload-centric graphical interface. In contrast, the E7 edition that combines HA and DR features introduces capabilities such as multi-target replication, automated recovery with a simple button press, rehearsals for disaster recovery, and the flexibility for workload mobility between on-premises systems and the cloud, thereby enhancing operational resilience. This versatility makes SGLX a valuable asset for businesses aiming to maintain continuous service availability in the face of potential disruptions.
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SIOS LifeKeeper
SIOS LifeKeeper for Windows is an all-encompassing solution designed for high availability and disaster recovery, seamlessly combining features like failover clustering, continuous monitoring of applications, data replication, and adaptable recovery policies to achieve an impressive 99.99% uptime for various Microsoft Windows Server environments, including physical, virtual, cloud, hybrid-cloud, and multicloud setups. System administrators have the flexibility to construct SAN-based or SANless clusters utilizing multiple storage options, such as direct-attached SCSI, iSCSI, Fibre Channel, or local disks, while also selecting between local or remote standby servers that cater to both high availability and disaster recovery requirements. With its real-time block-level replication capabilities provided through the integrated DataKeeper, LifeKeeper offers WAN-optimized performance, which features nine distinct levels of compression, bandwidth throttling, and built-in WAN acceleration, guaranteeing effective data replication across different cloud regions or over WAN networks without relying on additional hardware accelerators. This robust solution not only enhances operational resilience but also simplifies the management of complex IT infrastructures. Ultimately, SIOS LifeKeeper stands out as a vital tool for organizations aiming to maintain seamless service continuity and safeguard their valuable data assets.
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Pricing
Free Trial:
Yes
Integrations
Company Details
Company:
Microsoft
Year Founded:
1975
Headquarters:
United States
Website:
learn.microsoft.com/en-us/windows-server/failover-clustering/failover-clustering-overview
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