Two nic file Server

[JMOS]

Is it possible to have a file server load balanced over
multiple nics on a domain?

If so how?

 

[Phillip Windell]

No. It is by multiple identical Servers with on nic each. MS's Network
Load Balancing is about "clustering" servers together, not nics.

There are *special* NICs that come with special software that cost $$$ that
are specially designed for doing this. I believe HP makes some and refers
to the process as "Teaming" the nic together.

 

[Phillip Windell]

BTW - In addition to my other post, I should also mention that the "teaming"
process may require a special switch designed to handle it since a switch on
its own will only send a packet down a *single* wire where the MAC address
matches the ARP Table in the switch. You could overcome that with a Hub,
but then the Hub must still be plugged into the rest of the system (probably
by a switch), so sooner of later you still reach a choke point of a single
cable.

I'm sure ways have been worked around many or the problems, but my point is
that is just isn't as simple as you might think.

 

[Lee]

Check out the link, this can help what you are trying to
accomplish. I would recommend using MSCS if you want high-
availability for your FS.

http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-
us;303817