The effects of using Autodetect setting on cluster network interface card (174812)
The information in this article applies to:
- Microsoft Windows 2000 Advanced Server
- Microsoft Windows NT Server, Enterprise Edition 4.0
- Microsoft Cluster Server
This article was previously published under Q174812 SYMPTOMS
If you use a multiple speed Ethernet network adapter for cluster
communications and configure the adapter to "autosense" the network speed,
the adapter may cause problems within the cluster.
CAUSE
The "autosense" mode of some 10/100 Ethernet adapters may automatically
detect the speed of the connected network. However, during the detection
process, packets cannot be handled by the adapter and must be queued. Some
adapters may inadvertently trigger the autodetection process to reoccur
intermittently. As a result, communications are queued and communication
delayed. Delays of this nature may cause cluster nodes not to receive
critical packets in a timely fashion and may cause premature failover of
cluster resources.
RESOLUTION
For best results, manually configure the adapter for the network speed to avoid potential negative performance effects and unnecessary failovers in the cluster. For network adapters that do not support manual settings, follow the card manufacturer's specifications.
| Modification Type: | Minor | Last Reviewed: | 1/5/2006 |
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| Keywords: | kbprb kbsetup KB174812 |
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