How To Set Up TCP/IP for Network Load Balancing in Windows 2000 (303817)

SUMMARY

This article describes how to set up Transmission Control Protocol/Internet Protocol (TCP/IP) for Network Load Balancing, which is typically the last step of a Network Load Balancing installation.

Network Load Balancing enables you to spread incoming requests across as many as 32 servers. This feature enables you to expand enterprise-wide services, such as, Web servers, Terminal Services, and streaming media servers, and still ensure that they can respond quickly, even under heavy loads.

Network Load Balancing automatically detects the failure of a server and quickly reassigns client computer traffic among the remaining servers. This safeguard can help you to provide uninterrupted, continuous service for your critical business programs.

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Setting up TCP/IP for Network Load Balancing

You must use different procedures for single or multiple adapters.

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To Set Up TCP/IP for Network Load Balancing on a Single Network Adapter

1. Click Network and Dial-up Connections.
2. Right-click the Local Area Connection on which Network Load Balancing is installed, and then click Properties.
3. In the Local Area Connection Properties dialog box, click Internet Protocol (TCP/IP), and then click Properties.
4. In IP address, enter the address that you entered as the "Dedicated IP address" in the Network Load Balancing Properties dialog box under Host parameters. If the correct address is already present, do not change the address.
5. In Subnet Mask, enter the subnet mask and the default gateway information for your TCP/IP network. Click Advanced, and then click Add.
6. Enter the cluster IP address in the space for IP address, and then enter the appropriate subnet mask, and, if necessary, enter the default gateway. This IP address corresponds to the "Primary IP address" of the cluster that you entered in the Network Load Balancing Properties dialog box under Cluster parameters.
7. If you need to configure additional virtual IP addresses for your cluster (for example, if you are running a multihomed Web server), you can do so at this location in the Advanced TCP/IP Settings dialog box.

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To Set Up TCP/IP for Network Load Balancing on Multiple Network Adapters

1. Click Network and Dial-up Connections.
2. Right-click the Local Area Connection on which Network Load Balancing is installed, and then click Properties.
3. In the Local Area Connection Properties dialog box, click Internet Protocol (TCP/IP), and then click Properties.
4. In IP address, enter the address that you entered as the "Primary IP address" in the Network Load Balancing Properties dialog box under Cluster parameters. If the correct address is already present, do not change the address.
   
   NOTE: You can also enter the dedicated IP address (that corresponds to the "Dedicated IP address" that you entered in the Network Load Balancing Properties dialog box under Host parameters) in this space, and then wait to enter the primary IP address of the cluster in the Advanced TCP/IP Settings dialog box.
5. In Subnet Mask, enter the subnet mask and the default gateway information for your TCP/IP network.
6. If you need to configure additional virtual IP addresses for your cluster (for example, if you are running a multihomed Web server), click Advanced, and then click Add. Then, you can specify additional virtual IP addresses for this network adapter and provide other necessary information.

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Troubleshooting

• TCP/IP is the only network protocol that must be present on the cluster adapter. You must not add any other protocols (for example, Internetwork Packet Exchange [IPX]) to this adapter.
• It is essential that you enter the dedicated IP address first, in the Internet Protocol (TCP/IP) Properties dialog box (not in the Advanced TCP/IP Settings dialog box), so that all outbound connections that are made on behalf of this host (for example, Telnet or File Transfer Protocol [FTP]) are initiated with this address.

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