Abstract: A method, apparatus, and system are directed toward configuring a dependency relationship between resources in a cluster. A dependency relationship between a dependent in a first resource group and a dependee in a second resource group is declared. The dependency relationship might include a locality based qualifier and/or a time based qualifier. The locality based qualifier includes a Local Node, Any Node, or From Resource Group Affinity relationship. The time based dependency qualifier includes a Strong dependency, Weak dependency, Online Restart dependency, or Offline Restart dependency. The declaration might be made using a graphical user interface, property list, configuration file, or the like. A candidate node on which to activate the first resource group is determined. The dependent is brought online on the candidate node based on whether an instance of the dependee is online on a node specified by the locality based qualifier.

Abstract: A method, apparatus, and system are directed toward configuring a dependency relationship between resources in a cluster. A dependency relationship between a dependent in a first resource group and a dependee in a second resource group is declared. The dependency relationship might include a locality based qualifier and/or a time based qualifier. The locality based qualifier includes a Local Node, Any Node, or From Resource Group Affinity relationship. The time based dependency qualifier includes a Strong dependency, Weak dependency, Online Restart dependency, or Offline Restart dependency. The declaration might be made using a graphical user interface, property list, configuration file, or the like. A candidate node on which to activate the first resource group is determined. The dependent is brought online on the candidate node based on whether an instance of the dependee is online on a node specified by the locality based qualifier.

Abstract: A method, apparatus, and system are directed toward configuring a dependency relationship between resources in a cluster. A dependency relationship between a dependent in a first resource group and a dependee in a second resource group is declared. The dependency relationship might include a locality based qualifier and/or a time based qualifier. The locality based qualifier includes a Local Node, Any Node, or From Resource Group Affinity relationship. The time based dependency qualifier includes a Strong dependency, Weak dependency, Online Restart dependency, or Offline Restart dependency. The declaration might be made using a graphical user interface, property list, configuration file, or the like. A candidate node on which to activate the first resource group is determined. The dependent is brought online on the candidate node based on whether an instance of the dependee is online on a node specified by the locality based qualifier.

Abstract: A system includes a cluster having a plurality of nodes wherein at least one of the nodes is a candidate node, a plurality of resource groups, a clustering mechanism executing on the cluster configured to activate a first resource group of the plurality of resource groups on the candidate node, and a resource group affinity of the plurality of resource groups, wherein the resource group affinity comprises a unidirectional association between the first resource group of the plurality of resource groups and a second resource group of the plurality of resource groups.