Applies to: Exchange Server 2007 SP3, Exchange Server 2007 SP2, Exchange Server 2007 SP1
Topic Last Modified: 2007-10-25

This topic explains how to use the Failover Cluster Management tool or Cluster.exe to evict a node from a Windows Server 2008 failover cluster. Evicting a node from the cluster makes the node incapable of hosting a clustered mailbox server. For detailed steps about how to evict a node from a Windows Server 2003 failover cluster, see How to Evict a Node from a Windows Server 2003 Failover Cluster.

If for any reason your attempts to evict a node from the failover cluster fail, you can use the last procedure in this topic to forcibly evict the node from the cluster.

Before You Begin

Before you begin, you must move any existing clustered mailbox servers to another node, and then uninstall Microsoft Exchange Server 2007 from the node that is being evicted. For more information about uninstalling a clustered mailbox server, see Uninstalling Clustered Mailbox Servers.

To perform the following procedure, the account you use must be delegated membership in the local Administrators group for the node to be removed. For more information about permissions, delegating roles, and the rights that are required to administer Exchange 2007, see Permission Considerations.

Procedure

To use the Failover Cluster Management tool to evict a node from a Windows Server 2008 failover cluster

  1. Open the Failover Cluster Management tool.

  2. Expand the cluster, and then expand Nodes.

  3. Right-click the node to be removed, and then select More Actions…Evict.

  4. Select the box for Confirm "Evict" Action, and then click Yes to evict the node.

To use Cluster.exe to evict a node from a Windows Server 2008 failover cluster

  1. Open a Command Prompt window on the node you want to evict.

  2. Stop the Cluster service by running the following command:

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    net stop clussvc

  3. After the Cluster service has been stopped, evict the node by running the following command:

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    Cluster <ClusterName> node <NodeName> /evict
    Note:
    When evicting the last node in the cluster using Cluster.exe, you do not need to stop the Cluster service before running the command in Step 3.

To use Cluster.exe to forcibly evict a node from a Windows Server 2008 failover cluster

  1. Open a Command Prompt window on the node you want to forcibly evict.

  2. Stop the Cluster service by running the following command:

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    net stop clussvc

  3. After the Cluster service has been stopped, forcibly evict the node by running the following command:

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    Cluster <ClusterName> node <NodeName> /force
    Note:
    When evicting the last node in the cluster using Cluster.exe, you do not need to stop the Cluster service before running the command in Step 3.