True or False: When creating a server cluster, nodes in the cluster may function independently of Windows Server OS Version.

True or False: When creating a server cluster, nodes in the cluster may function independently of Windows Server OS Version.

• A. False
• B. True
• C. Not Sure
• D. Depends on edition

Answer: (A)

In Windows Server Failover Clustering, all nodes are tied to a consistent, supported OS version. The cluster service and its resources are built to work with a specific set of binaries that must be the same across nodes, so mixing different Windows Server versions is not supported for a functioning cluster. While there is a controlled upgrade process that can move nodes from one version to the next one by one, you don’t get to operate the cluster as if nodes could run independently of OS version. Ultimately, all nodes should be on a matching (or officially supported mixed) version to maintain cluster health and support.

In Windows Server Failover Clustering, all nodes are tied to a consistent, supported OS version. The cluster service and its resources are built to work with a specific set of binaries that must be the same across nodes, so mixing different Windows Server versions is not supported for a functioning cluster. While there is a controlled upgrade process that can move nodes from one version to the next one by one, you don’t get to operate the cluster as if nodes could run independently of OS version. Ultimately, all nodes should be on a matching (or officially supported mixed) version to maintain cluster health and support.