FailoverClusters Module in Windows Docker Container

Is there a way to get the FailoverClusters module running in the Windows docker container? It looks like the windows feature has been removed from the docker image, and I haven't been able to find a way to get it installed.

I tried copying the module files to the running container doesn't work, as PowerShell throws errors when importing the module.

I'm trying to migrate from the PowerShell module install of PowerShell Universal to the docker container, and this is the last thing that's holding me up. I have a custom module I created for my company that relies on the FailoverClusters module, and I would prefer not to have to re-write the module.

@brownjohn423
Hello brownjohn423,

Thank you for the detailed explanation. Copying only the FailoverClusters module files is typically insufficient because Microsoft provides the module through the RSAT-Clustering-PowerShell Windows feature, and the module may depend on operating-system components that are not included in the container image.

Microsoft also currently lists FailoverClusters as untested with the PowerShell 7 compatibility layer. We first need to determine whether the import failure is caused by the Windows container base image, a missing Windows feature, or the PowerShell runtime.

Could you please provide:

The exact PowerShell Universal version and complete Docker image tag.
The Windows version and build of the container host.
Whether you are using process or Hyper-V isolation.
Whether the previous PowerShell Universal installation ran this module in Windows PowerShell 5.1 or PowerShell 7.
The specific FailoverClusters cmdlets required by your custom module.
The sanitized output from the following commands inside the container:

$PSVersionTable
Get-WindowsFeature RSAT-Clustering-PowerShell
Get-Module FailoverClusters -ListAvailable
Import-Module FailoverClusters -Verbose

Please also include the complete sanitized import exception. Based on those results, we can determine whether the feature can be added during a custom image build or whether the cluster-dependent portion needs to execute on a Windows system that already has the clustering management components installed.

Because this is a public forum, please sanitize all evidence before posting. Remove credentials, tokens, license keys, cookies, private keys, full connection strings, email addresses, usernames, customer data, tenant or account identifiers, internal domains, hostnames, IP addresses, and private URLs. Please do not upload unredacted HAR files, memory dumps, database backups, or complete configuration files to this public thread.

Docker image tag: devolutions/powershell-universal:2026.2.1-lts-windowsservercore-ltsc2022

The container host is running Windows Server 2022 with process isolation. It is fully up to date through June 2026 - I haven't installed the latest July updates yet.

My current production PowerShell Universal install is using the Failover Cluster module in Windows PowerShell 5.1 on Windows Server 2022.

PS C:\> $PSVersionTable                                                                                                                                                       

Name                           Value
----                           -----
PSVersion                      5.1.20348.2849
PSEdition                      Desktop
PSCompatibleVersions           {1.0, 2.0, 3.0, 4.0...}
BuildVersion                   10.0.20348.2849
CLRVersion                     4.0.30319.42000
WSManStackVersion              3.0
PSRemotingProtocolVersion      2.3
SerializationVersion           1.1.0.1


PS C:\> Get-WindowsFeature RSAT-Clustering-PowerShell

Display Name                                            Name                       Install State
------------                                            ----                       -------------
            [ ] Failover Cluster Module for Windows ... RSAT-Clustering-Powe...          Removed

Get-Module FailoverClusters -ListAvailable returns nothing and Import-Module FailoverClusters -Verbose returns an error because the module does not exist on the server.

All of the RSATs for Failover Clustering have been removed from the image:

PS C:\> Get-WindowsFeature *cluster*

Display Name                                            Name                       Install State
------------                                            ----                       -------------
[ ] Failover Clustering                                 Failover-Clustering              Removed
        [ ] Failover Clustering Tools                   RSAT-Clustering                  Removed
            [ ] Failover Cluster Module for Windows ... RSAT-Clustering-Powe...          Removed
            [ ] Failover Cluster Automation Server      RSAT-Clustering-Auto...          Removed
            [ ] Failover Cluster Command Interface      RSAT-Clustering-CmdI...          Removed

I'm not sure if the Failover Clustering feature was removed as part of building the PowerShell Universal image, or if Microsoft removed it from their base docker image, but it would be helpful if I had a way to get it back.

Hello brownjohn423,

Please accept our apologies for the delay in following up on this case.

Thank you for providing the detailed information about the Windows container image and confirming that the Failover Clustering components are in the Removed state.

Our Development team has reviewed the scenario and confirmed that adding the RSAT-Clustering-PowerShell feature to the Windows PowerShell Universal image appears feasible. An internal tracking item has been created, and the change is currently targeted for PowerShell Universal 2026.3.

This is the current target and should not be considered a guaranteed release commitment until the change has been fully implemented and validated.

In parallel, we will investigate whether the feature can be added manually to a custom image as a temporary workaround for the current release. This will require validation because the module may depend on additional Windows components beyond the PowerShell module files themselves.

Once we have a tested procedure or additional confirmed information, we will update this thread.

Best regards,
Ruben Tapia

Thanks for the update, I really appreciate it!