I'm trying to find out if Server 2008 supports clustering in a DMZ environment where there is no ActiveDirectory installed. If it does require AD then can clustering be done using the AD Lightweight Directory Service feature in 2008 (previously known as ActiveDirectory application mode (ADAM) in Server 2003)?
Update: I should have put this Microsoft whitepaper link (Word 2007 doc) as context for the original question. The whitepaper says in the "An Improved Security Model" section that the Cluster Service Account (CSA) no longer has to be a domain account. What I'm trying to find out is if the CSA doesn't need to be a domain account, can a cluster be built without AD.
Best Answer
According to Microsoft "Overview of Failover Clustering with Windows Server 2008 - White Papaer" (http://www.microsoft.com/download/en/details.aspx?id=13153) document, you still need a working Active Directory for failover clustering, and not ADAM is not useful here as it doesn't have all the security features it needs.
Extract from the document mentioned above: ". In addition, failover cluster nodes must be joined to an Active Directory®–based domain (not a Windows NT® 4.0–based domain)."
What you can do is to user Cluster Nodes as AD Domain Controllers (check http://support.microsoft.com/?id=281662)
Hope it helps