Windows 2008 Network Loadbalancing

[johanswa]

Hopefully someone can help.

I am looking to start testing Windows 2008 Network loadbalancing. This will be used as a webfarm. I went through various white papers and forum posts but still have a few questions:

1. I get that VMWare recommends Multicast mode. Windows 2008 gives you two options, multicast and IGMP multicast. Seeing as I am not a networking expert, I am a little worried about switch flooding. Apparently enabling IGMP Snooping on your Cisco switches eliminate this? Is this true, if so do you need to install your cluster as IGMP Mulicast?

2. Do you need to have dedicated network cards for this NLB cluster, seperate vSwitch etc? If not will there be any interference with the existing production network?

3. Is a static arp entry required on your switch? All switches or just the server farm switches where the ESX hosts are connected to?

Some info would be appreciated.

[kjb007 · Accepted solution]

1. Haven't tested this, but IGMP snooping is what caused problems previously because the switch ports wouldn't join the group properly, so it bears testing if the OS is willing to send out the packets.

2. It is better to use separate vNICs for the virtual IP for the NLB cluster

3. Static arp would be required if the IGMP snooping does not work for the switch ports that will hosts the vm's that are part of  your NLB cluster.

-KjB

[johanswa]

Thanks for your answers.

You are saying:

2. It is better to use separate vNICs for the virtual IP for the NLB cluster

So there is no need to actually install dedicated physical nics in your host and create a seperate vSwitch and use this switch for your loadbalancing vNics?

NLB wont interfere with the existing vSwitch hosting all other VM's?

[kjb007]

You don't need a separate vSwitch per se.  You can use a separate portgroup, and turn off the notify switches at the portgroup level as you would on the vSwitch.

-KjB

[emma234]

Hi johanswa

Welcome to the communites

1-I will recomend to you use to multicast instead of IGMP Multicast.

2-Its better to use dedicated NIC for performance point of view .

3-use static ip , if not USE RESERVER ip in DHCP server and map them to mac address.

please let us know if you need anything more .

"He Conquers, Who Conquers Himself".