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Affinity and anti-affinity: what the rules control
An affinity rule constrains cluster placement for selected cluster groups. A same rule tells the cluster to place resources together; a different rule tells it to separate them. Microsoft exposes four scopes:
| Rule type | Meaning | Typical use |
|---|---|---|
SameNode |
Keep groups on the same machine. | Co-locate tightly coupled VMs or a VM with its storage volume. |
DifferentNode |
Keep groups on different machines. | Separate replicas so one node failure does not remove both. |
SameFaultDomain |
Keep groups in the same fault domain or site, without requiring the same node. | Keep application tiers in one site while allowing node-level distribution. |
DifferentFaultDomain |
Keep groups in different fault domains or sites. | Distribute workloads across site-level failure boundaries. |
Windows Admin Center simplifies the node-level choices to Together (same machine) and Apart (different machines). PowerShell is required when you need fault-domain scope or more complex combinations. See Microsoft’s Azure Local VM affinity documentation for the supported feature scope.
Choose the placement boundary before creating a rule
Use node rules for machine-level behavior
Choose SameNode when the requirement is explicitly “these resources must run on one host.” Choose DifferentNode when two workloads should not consume the same host’s CPU, memory, or storage resources, or when they must survive a single-node failure independently.
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Use fault-domain rules for site-level behavior
A fault-domain rule is broader than a host rule. For example, two VMs may need to remain in the same site for latency or data-locality reasons while still running on different machines. Conversely, DifferentFaultDomain is appropriate when the failure you are designing against is a site or other defined fault domain, not merely one server.
Do not substitute a node rule for a site requirement. A DifferentNode rule can still place both VMs in the same site; it does not provide site separation.
Where affinity and anti-affinity help
Separate resource-intensive workloads
Microsoft uses two resource-intensive SQL VMs as an anti-affinity example: placing them on different nodes prevents both from competing for the same host’s CPU, memory, and storage. The same principle applies to independent database replicas or other workloads with predictable peak demand.
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Protect redundant infrastructure
Domain controllers and other control-plane services should not all land on one machine or site. Microsoft’s Well-Architected guidance recommends at least two instances of each critical workload tier and states: “On standard clusters, use VM anti-affinity rules where supported.” Read that recommendation in its topology context at the Azure Local Well-Architected service guide.
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A web VM and SQL VM might need to remain in the same site for application latency, but not on the same host. That design calls for SameFaultDomain, not SameNode. If the requirement is instead to place both tiers on one machine, use a node-level together rule and accept the resulting host-failure coupling.
Associate a VM with its Cluster Shared Volume
Azure Local can associate a VM and its VHDX with a Cluster Shared Volume (CSV) using a SameNode rule. Microsoft describes this as a way to avoid CSV redirection, which can slow VM start or stop operations. It is a topology-dependent option, not a universal performance guarantee; validate that the storage layout and failover design justify it.
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Create basic rules in Windows Admin Center
- Select the Azure Local machine or system in Windows Admin Center.
- Open Settings > Affinity rules.
- Choose Create and give the rule a descriptive name.
- Select Together (same machine) or Apart (different machines).
- Select the VMs covered by the rule.
- Create the rule, then review the resulting placement configuration and test a planned move or restart during a maintenance window.
This workflow covers the basic same-node and different-node cases. It does not expose every PowerShell rule type or complex relationship.
Use PowerShell for specific scopes and complex configurations
Run the commands from an approved management computer and retain the cluster context required by your environment. The principal cmdlets in Microsoft’s procedure are:
New-ClusterAffinityRule— creates a named rule and its type, such asSameNode,DifferentNode,SameFaultDomain, orDifferentFaultDomain.Add-ClusterGroupToAffinityRule— adds a VM cluster group or another supported cluster group to the rule.Set-ClusterAffinityRule— changes rule properties, including enabling the rule.Get-ClusterAffinityRule— inspects existing rules and their configuration.
A typical sequence is to create the named rule, add each intended VM group (and, for storage affinity, the CSV), enable the rule, and then inspect it with Get-ClusterAffinityRule. Use the exact parameter set documented for your Azure Local release in Microsoft’s PowerShell procedure; do not paste a node-level example into a fault-domain design without changing the rule type and validating the cluster’s fault-domain definitions.
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Example: VM-to-CSV storage affinity
- Create a
SameNodeaffinity rule. - Add the VM’s cluster group to the rule.
- Add the target CSV to the same rule.
- Enable the rule and inspect it with
Get-ClusterAffinityRule. - Perform a controlled VM start, stop, and live-migration test to confirm that the placement matches the storage design.
The rule can reduce reliance on CSV redirection in an appropriate configuration. It does not replace capacity planning, CSV resiliency, or testing of failover behavior.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Management limits you should plan for
Microsoft says the recommended way to create and manage Azure Local VMs is the Azure Arc control plane, but the affinity functionality described here is not yet provided there. Use Windows Admin Center or PowerShell instead. Microsoft’s supported-operations matrix likewise lists affinity and anti-affinity among operations supported only through local tools.
VMs created through this local-tool path have limited Arc-plane manageability and fewer Azure Hybrid Benefits than VMs managed through the supported Arc workflow. Account for that operational boundary before standardizing the design or delegating administration.
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Rack-aware clusters require a separate decision
Do not assume that ordinary affinity instructions are validated for rack-aware deployments. Microsoft’s rack-aware requirements page warns that applying VM affinity rules through Windows Admin Center or PowerShell can produce unknown behavior. Its Well-Architected guidance discusses separate availability-zone placement and cautions against affinity rules in the rack-aware context.
For a rack-aware cluster, first follow the topology-specific requirements at Microsoft’s rack-aware cluster documentation. Treat any generic node or fault-domain rule as unvalidated until Microsoft documents support for that exact topology and release.
Quick Recap
Design and troubleshooting checklist
- Name the failure boundary: host, site, rack, or another defined fault domain.
- Choose direction: together for co-location, apart for isolation.
- Check capacity: a together rule can make one node a placement bottleneck; an apart rule requires enough eligible nodes.
- Check redundancy: pair anti-affinity with at least two instances of each critical tier where the workload supports it.
- Check interactions: review existing cluster placement, storage, and maintenance policies before adding another constraint.
- Verify the result: inspect the rule, then test planned movement and a failure scenario appropriate to the design.
- Check topology support: stop and obtain release-specific guidance for rack-aware clusters.
- Document the management path: local tools are required for this feature, even when the broader VM lifecycle uses Azure Arc.
Affinity versus anti-affinity at a glance
| Decision | Use | Main benefit | Main trade-off |
|---|---|---|---|
| Together on the same node | SameNode |
Co-location and potentially simpler data locality. | One host failure or capacity limit affects all selected groups. |
| Apart on different nodes | DifferentNode |
Host-level isolation and better resilience to a single-node failure. | Requires sufficient nodes and can complicate placement during maintenance. |
| Together in one fault domain | SameFaultDomain |
Keeps workloads within a site while allowing host distribution. | Does not protect against failure of that site or domain. |
| Apart across fault domains | DifferentFaultDomain |
Separates workloads across a site-level boundary. | Requires correctly defined fault domains and suitable cross-site capacity. |
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