I'm curious to get your thoughts on whether or not you'd like to see Microsoft implement things so that the entire installation process for a failover cluster can be nearly, or completely, automated. Please take the poll found at this link. I'll share the results.

As you may or may not know, with SQL Server 2008 you have the ability to patch installations before Setup. However, as of SQL Server 2008 Service Pack 1 (currently in CTP release), you can fully slipstream SP1 with the RTM installation media. This is good news for anyone configuring SQL Server.

Bob Ward over at the CSS SQL Server Engineers blog has written up a post on how to do it. Instead of regurgitating it, I'm just going to link it for you. Enjoy!

I tried it in the testing for my upcoming book Pro SQL Server 2008 Failover Clustering, and it works like a champ. Speaking of the book, the writing and editing should be done sometime in April for hopefully a June publication date. Unfortunately, it won't be ready in time for TechEd in May, but such is life.