Network Bonding

[CyberNerd]

I need to setup an active/passive failover on 2 nics on 2008R2- they don't need to be lacp teamed.

It's been absolutely ages since I worked on a physical windows server, and for the life of me I can't seem to workout where the settings are for network teaming!?

 

I don't usually bother teaming with virtual server/ switches (should I?).

[kmount]

I tend to use the Intel tool for this for our boxes. (Intel cards of course) - Network Connectivity — How do I use Teaming with Advanced Networking Services (ANS)?

 

What nics are in your box?

[ihaveaproblem]

What make are the NIC's/server?

On our HP servers you can download the network configuration utility straight from HP and configure teaming in that.

[CyberNerd]

Broadcom 10 Gb Gen 2 2-port Ethernet Expansion Card (CFFh).

 

IBM Redbooks | Broadcom 10 Gb Gen 2 2-port and 4-port Ethernet Expansion Cards (CFFh) for IBM BladeCenter

 

 

Do I need to use a separate utility for the driver? I assumed windows could manage it?

[kmount]

In my (Windows) experience I wouldn't trust it to do the job properly .....

 

Sadly not like Linux/Solaris where it just gets on with it and doesn't ask questions!

 

Would expect Broadcom to have a utility for it, will have a nose now.

 

 

EDIT: http://www.broadcom.com/support/ethernet_nic/management_applications.php

Edited July 9, 2012 by kmount

[Soulfish]

Windows doesn't handle bonding - it relies on the network driver to do it. Native bonding is one of the new Server 2k12 features

[CyberNerd]

In my (Windows) experience I wouldn't trust it to do the job properly .....

 

Sadly not like Linux/Solaris where it just gets on with it and doesn't ask questions!

 

Would expect Broadcom to have a utility for it, will have a nose now.

 

ok thanks. It did take all of about 3min to do with linux on an identical server with no extra software.

We installed windows using the IBM setup disk, but the cards were add-ons so it looks like I need to get the software from broadcom.

 

Windows doesn't handle bonding - it relies on the network driver to do it. Native bonding is one of the new Server 2k12 features

 

 

Sounds about right. a few years behind the curve.

[kmount]

Hopefully the link in my earlier post will lead in that direction.

 

Nice kit by the looks of it too.

[sonofsanta]

Are you running Hyper-V on this server? If you install Hyper-V/network teaming in the wrong order it properly cockerels it up to the point of having to reinstall the server.