Create a Shared Folder in a Clustered File Server

Applies To: Windows Server 2008 R2

Before you perform this procedure, review the steps in Checklist: Create a Clustered File Server. This procedure describes a step in that checklist.
Membership in the local Administrators group, or equivalent, is the minimum required to complete this procedure. Review details about using the appropriate accounts and group memberships at http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=83477.

To create a shared folder in a clustered file server

1. In Control Panel, open Windows Firewall, click Allow a program or feature through Windows Firewall, click Change settings, select an exception for Remote Volume Management, and then click OK.
2. In the Failover Cluster Manager snap-in, if the cluster that you want to configure is not displayed, in the console tree, right-click Failover Cluster Manager, click Manage a Cluster, and then select or specify the cluster that you want.
3. If the console tree is collapsed, expand the tree under the cluster that you want to configure.
4. Expand Services and Applications, and then select the clustered file server.
5. Under Actions, click Add a shared folder.
   The Create a Shared Folder Wizard appears. This is the same wizard that you would use to share a folder on a nonclustered server.
6. Follow the instructions in the wizard to specify the settings for the shared folder, including path, name, offline settings, and permissions.

Additional considerations

• To open the failover cluster snap-in, click Start, click Administrative Tools, and then click Failover Cluster Manager. If the User Account Control dialog box appears, confirm that the action it displays is what you want, and then click Yes.
  
• In a clustered file server, when you bring the associated File Server resource online or take it offline, all shared folders in that resource go offline or online at the same time. You cannot change the online or offline status of one of the shared folders without affecting all of the shared folders.
  

Additional references

• Modifying the Settings for a Clustered Service or Application
  
• Checklist: Create a Clustered File Server
  
• For design and deployment information for failover clusters, see http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=137832.