I have built and configured a Windows 2016 Data Center cluster with 2 nodes. I implemented Storage Spaces Direct. (S2D)

that technology basically creates a shared virtual disk at C:\ClusterStorage\Volume1 (both nodes see the same disk)

my question is around the Role of the cluster. Do i need to create a high availability role for fail over capabilities? Ie Generic Application, Generic server, Other server?

I feel like i can install VC on the shared disk but how with the clients know what node is active? In order to create a virtual IP for the cluster to listen on, i need a Role, don't I?

thanks.

in a cluster, you have to a Role. a Role defines 2 major things.

1. what is the defined process that is actually clustered. Ie, a service, an app, a process, etc
2. what is the virtual IP for the above service or app or process.

without criteria number 1, when a fail over occurs, how will the new primary node of the cluster know what process or service to start?
without criteria number 2, the client or web URL potentially will be pointing to an inactive secondary.

Now, i could get around criteria 2 with a load balancer, however, in order to set up a load balancer, it also has to listen to a port or process to know when to activate node 1 or node 2.

I could also ask a simpler question; when i failover the cluster, how does the new primary node know to start the VC service?