Does SQL Server failover clustering require special hardware?
Yes, the hardware in a SQL Server failover cluster must be identical in each associated node. This includes driver versions, service packs, hot fixes, memory and processors. Moreover, the hardware and all devices associated with the failover cluster must be certified by Microsoft. Shared storage and the enterprise edition of Windows are also required. You can leverage the enterprise editions of Windows Server 2003 or Windows Server 2008 to add value for customers. SQL Server 2008 Standard Edition supports up to two nodes within a cluster, but SQL Server 2008 Enterprise can support up to 16 nodes if customers are using Windows Server 2008 Enterprise or eight nodes if they’re using Windows Server 2003 Enterprise.