NLB On Server

IMPORTANT: You may have a problem if you are working from a computer that has a single network adaptor that is bound to Network Load Balancing in Unicast mode. You cannot use Network Load Balancing Manager on this computer to configure and manage other hosts because a single network adapter in Unicast mode cannot have intra-host communication. However, you can communicate with computers that are outside the cluster.

Configure Cluster Parameters

1. Click Start, click Control Panel, and then double-click Network Connections.
2. Right-click Local Area Connection, and then click Properties.
3. In the Local Area Connection Properties dialog box, click to select the Network Load Balancing check box, and then click Properties.
4. Click the Cluster Parameters tab, and then type values in the IP address, Subnet mask, and Full Internet name check boxes.
5. Under Cluster operation mode, click Multicast to specify whether a multicast media access control address is used for cluster operations. If you select this option, Network Load Balancing converts the cluster network address into a multicast address when this is needed. It also makes sure that the cluster Internet Protocol (IP) addresses resolve to this multicast address as part of the Address Resolution Protocol (ARP). The network adapter to which the Network Load Balancing driver is bound retains its original media access control address. For more information, see the "Network Load Balancing clusters" Windows Server 2003 Help and Support Center topic.
6. Click to select the Allow remote control check box to turn on remote-control operations. Type the password in the Remote password and Confirm password boxes.

Configure Host Parameters

1. Click Start, click Control Panel, and then double-click Network Connections.
2. Right-click Local Area Connection, and then click Properties.
3. In the Local Area Connection Properties dialog box, click Network Load Balancing, and then click Properties.
4. Click the Host Parameters tab.
5. Type a value in the Priority (Unique host identifier) box.
6. Under Dedicated IP configuration, type values in the IP address and Subnet mask boxes.
7. Under Initial host state, specify the host state with regard to the Network Load Balancing cluster when Windows is started.

Enable Internet Group Management Protocol (IGMP) Support

1. To start Network Load Balancing Manager, type nlbmgr at a command prompt, and then press ENTER.
2. If Network Load Balancing Manager does not already list the cluster, connect to the cluster.
3. Right-click the cluster, and then click Cluster Properties.
4. On the Cluster Parameters tab, click to select the IGMP multicast check box to enable IGMP support on all the hosts in the cluster

Troubleshooting

The number and type of rules must be exactly the same for each host in the cluster. If a host tries to join the cluster with a different number of rules from the other hosts, it is not accepted as part of the cluster, and the rest of the cluster continues to handle the traffic as before. At the same time, a message is logged in the Windows Event log. If this occurs, view the Event log to determine which host is in conflict with the other cluster hosts, resolve the conflict, and then restart Network Load Balancing on that host.

You must also add the cluster IP address or addresses to the TCP/IP settings of the local area connection:

1. Click Start, click Control Panel, and then double-click Network Connections.
2. Right-click Local Area Connection, and then click Properties.
3. In the Local Area Connection Properties dialog box, click Internet Protocol, and then click Properties.
4. Click Advanced.
5. Click ADD.
6. Add the cluster IP and subnet mask addresses.
7. Confirm your changes