QA Xsan

Product No Longer Available

Can I use xsan as a member of a Windows 2008 cluster environment?

I need to build a redundant high available solution to deploy virtual desktop containers, in order to accomplish this goal, I need 4 servers running windows server 2008 r2 on a cluster mode (1 domain controller which controls the cluster, 2 activate servers to provide services and 1 passive server ready to take on the failing server). Can Xsan be the storage member of the Cluster?


I must have a storage server in addition to the other 4 servers in order to build this project.

Will Xsan 2.2 save the day?

  • Asked by Marco B from Redwood City
  • May 20, 2011

1 Answer from the Community

  • Answer

    Short answer, no. Xsan in a Mac OS X software component that allows Macs to become valid initiators on a SAN. In the scenario you propose, the only valid solution would be to have VMware running the Windows server with an RDM to its storage, which would require Xsan on the OS X server for interface to the SAN.

    Keep in mind that Xsan is now bundled with Lion, making this purchase almost irrelevant.

    • Answered by Mark S from Columbia
    • Aug 5, 2011