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Azure Stack HCI / Azure Local with Stretched Cluster support?
Hi,
i need to propone an Azure Stack HCI solution in streteched cluster mode. I see that the stretched cluster is available only in 22h2 version.. It's an old version.. When the Stretched cluster mode will be available on Azure stack hci o windows server 2025 for local only deployment?
Thanks!
With this announcement, please abstain from Stretched Cluster and design for rack aware cluster, if suitable.
https://techcommunity.microsoft.com/blog/azurearcblog/evolving-stretch-clustering-for-azure-local/4352751
Hello,
Does it mean that Azure Local now does not address at all active-active solutions over long distance? Rack aware cluster has a 4+4 nodes limit, while the old stretched clustering in 22h2 has a 8+8, so RAC is not as scalable as SC.
The secret is to create more clusters. Azure Local makes it easy to manage and secure multiple clusters.
Large clusters like 8+8 are the maximum supported by Azure Local but you save a lot of money rather creating use based clusters instead.
Example: you would require a GPU in each node if one has it for AVD.
You might not require same storage performance as NVMe for large cold data (if you don't want to outsource), so you might rather create a cluster for cold data or large data such as SoFS.
All of this does have to operate on a large cluster.
With each node you have you raise the statistical rate of error as your failure Domains do not scale. For Stretched Cluster and 4+4 the max was 2 disks on each site. Not much if you have 10-24 disks each node at each site.
Thank you Karl. Unfortunately, we're implementing a project which has a 2 site long distance active-active requirement, so basically we have to stick with 22h2. On top of Stack HCI we have to deploy several AKS clusters, and also we'll have Arc managed VMs. If I am not mistaken, the max number of AKS clusters deployed in one 22H2 HCI cluster is 4 right?
As of now, the stretched cluster mode is indeed available only in the Azure Stack HCI version 22H2. Unfortunately, there isn't a confirmed release date for when this feature will be available for local-only deployment in Windows Server 2025 or later versions.
With this announcement, please abstain from Stretched Cluster and design for rack aware cluster, if suitable.
https://techcommunity.microsoft.com/blog/azurearcblog/evolving-stretch-clustering-for-azure-local/4352751
