Howdy,
We have a Windows 2008 failover cluster with two physical nodes (let's call them A and B). We use a disk witness (let's call it W) that's hosted on a SAN. Quorum configuration is disk and node majority. We have two network connections, one is the regular network (workload) and the other is just a patch cable between the two nodes (heartbeat). We have several clustered applications as well with and without network access.
We made a lot of tests to check failover behaviour. There is one situation that I don't understand.
Assume that A has the witness and both nodes are online and connected. All clustered applications run on A. Now we disconnect the heartbeat network. Nothing happens to the cluster. The nodes now communicate through the other network. Then we disconnect the workload network. Now something curious happens: A shuts down the witness and the cluster service is stopped on A. B brings up the witness and all the clustered applications are brought up on B.
I had expected the witness to stay with A and the cluster service and clustered applications to stay online on A in this situation.
What happens here?
Mike