Copyright: Saturday, January 04, 2003 15:51:54


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Specifies the cluster IP address and subnet mask for all hosts in the cluster. If you want to add multiple IP addresses to the cluster, type the additional IP addresses in the TCP/IP properties dialog box or in the Cluster IP addresses dialog box in Network Load Balancing Manager.


Provides a space for you to type the cluster Internet Protocol (IP) address in standard Internet dotted notation (for example, w.x.y.z). This address is a virtual IP address and must be set identically for all hosts in the cluster. This IP address is used to address the cluster as a whole and should be the IP address that maps to the full Internet name that you specify for the cluster.


Provides a space for you to type the subnet mask for the Internet Protocol (IP) address specified. Type the mask in standard Internet dotted notation (for example, 255.255.255.0).


Specifies the network media access control address of the network adapter to be used for handling cluster traffic.


Specifies whether unicast or multicast mode is used for cluster operations and if IGMP support is enabled.


Specifies whether the cluster operates in unicast mode. In unicast mode, Network Load Balancing assigns a media access control (MAC) address to the network adapter.


Specifies whether a multicast media access control (MAC) address should be used for cluster operations. If this feature is enabled, Network Load Balancing converts the cluster MAC address into a multicast address if necessary. It also ensures that the cluster Internet Protocol (IP) addresses resolve to this multicast address as part of the Address Resolution Protocol (ARP). The network adapter to which the Network Load Balancing driver is bound retains its original media access control address.


Specifies whether IGMP filtering should be used for cluster operations. If this check box is selected, Network Load Balancing enables Internet Group Management Protocol (IGMP) support for limiting switch flooding by limiting traffic to "NLB ports" only.


Click to add a new port rule to the list of defined port rules.


Click to edit the selected port rule from the list of defined port rules.


Click to remove the selected port rule from the list of defined port rules.


Provides a space for you to type a full Internet name for the Network Load Balancing cluster (for example, cluster.microsoft.com). This name is used for the cluster as a whole, and it should be the same for all hosts in the cluster. If you provide several names for the cluster, you should type the primary (main) name here.


Provides a space for you to type the password for remote control operations.

The password consists of a string of alphanumeric characters.

For more information on strong passwords, see Strong passwords.


Provides a space for you to type the password entered in Remote password. It is used to confirm proper entry of this password. Clearing Remote password and Confirm password disables use of a remote control password.


Specifies whether remote control operations are enabled. When this is enabled, remote, networked computers running Windows can control cluster operations using the NLB.exe cluster control program.

Caution

The Network Load Balancing remote control option presents many security risks, including the possibility of data tampering, denial of service and information disclosure. It is strongly recommended that you do not enable remote control and that instead you use other remote management tools such as Windows Management Instrumentation (WMI). For more information on strong passwords, see Strong passwords.


Specifies a unique ID for each host.


Specifies the default host state of the Network Load Balancing cluster when Windows is started. Select Started if you want this host to immediately join the cluster when Windows is started. Select Stopped if you want this host to start without joining the cluster.  Select Suspended if you want this host to start without joining the cluster and instead enter a suspended state.


Specifies whether, when the host is shut down while in a suspended state, the host will remain suspended when Windows is started.


Specifies the host state of the Network Load Balancing cluster when Windows is started.


Specifies the dedicated IP address and subnet mask for network traffic not associated with the cluster.


Provides a space for you to type this host's unique Internet Protocol (IP) address used for network traffic not associated with the cluster (for example, Telnet access to a specific host within the cluster). Type the IP address in standard Internet dotted notation (for example, w.x.y.z). This IP address is used to individually address each host in the cluster and hence should be unique for each host.


Specifies the start and end of the port range for the selected port rule. Port numbers in a range of 0 to 65,535 are currently supported. The default port range is 0 to 65,535.


Specifies the start of the Transmission Control Protocol/User Datagram Protocol (TCP/UDP) port range that a port rule should cover. Port numbers in a range of 0 to 65,535 are currently supported. The default port range is 0 to 65,535.


Specifies the end of the Transmission Control Protocol/User Datagram Protocol (TCP/UDP) port range that a port rule should cover. Port numbers in a range of 0 to 65,535 are currently supported. The default port range is 0 to 65,535.


Specifies that a port rule should cover only the Transmission Control Protocol (TCP), that is, only the network traffic for TCP is affected by the rule. The rest of the traffic is handled according to the default filtering mode.


Specifies that a port rule should cover only the User Datagram Protocol (UDP), that is, only the network traffic for UDP is affected by the rule. The rest of the traffic is handled according to the default filtering mode.


Specifies that a port rule should cover both the Transmission Control Protocol (TCP) and the User Datagram Protocol (UDP), that is, the network traffic for both TCP and UDP is affected by the rule. The rest of the traffic is handled according to the default filtering mode.


Specifies the IP protocol that a port rule should cover: Transmission Control Protocol (TCP), User Datagram Protocol (UDP), or both. Only the network traffic for the specified protocol is affected by the rule. The default host will handle all traffic not covered by a port rule.


Specifies that network traffic for the associated port rule be handled by a single host in the cluster according to the specified handling priority. This filtering mode provides port specific fault tolerance for the handling of network traffic.


When single-host filtering mode is being used, specifies the local host's priority for handling the networking traffic for the associated port rule. The host with the highest handling priority (lowest numerical value) for this rule among the current members of the cluster will handle all of the traffic for this rule. The allowed values range from 1, the highest priority, to the maximum number of hosts allowed. This value must be unique for all hosts in the cluster.


Specifies the filtering mode used in the cluster to handle network traffic for the associated port rule. You can specify that the network load for the associated port rule be distributed among multiple hosts, handled by a single host, or that all network traffic be blocked.


Specifies whether multiple hosts in the cluster handle network traffic for the associated port rule.


Specifies how Network Load Balancing should direct client requests to the multiple cluster hosts.


Specifies whether multiple connections from the same client IP address can be handled by different hosts.

Disabling affinity allows for more effective load balancing because it allows multiple connections from the same client to be handled concurrently by different cluster hosts. To maximize scaled performance when client affinity is not needed, disable affinity by selecting None. However, in order to allow Network Load Balancing to properly handle IP fragments, you should avoid using None when selecting UDP or Both for your protocol setting.


Specifies that Network Load Balancing direct multiple requests — Transmission Control Protocol (TCP) connections or User Datagram Protocol (UDP) datagrams — from the same client Internet Protocol (IP) address to the same cluster host. This is the default setting for affinity. Using Single affinity ensures that only one cluster host will handle all connections that are part of the same client session. This is important if the server program running on the cluster host maintains session state (such as "server cookies") between connections.


Specifies that Network Load Balancing direct multiple requests — Transmission Control Protocol (TCP) connections or User Datagram Protocol (UDP) datagrams — from the same TCP/IP Class C address range to the same cluster host.


Specifies the distribution of load-balanced network traffic across the cluster hosts for the associated port rule relative to other hosts.


When using multiple-host filtering mode, specifies the relative amount of load-balanced network traffic that this host should handle for the associated port rule. Allowed values range from 0 to 100. To prevent a host from handling any network traffic, set the load weight to 0 (zero).


Specifies that this host will accept an equal portion of the load-balanced traffic in multiple-host filtering mode for the associated port rule.


Specifies whether all network traffic for the associated port rule will be blocked.


Lists the available port rules.


Provides a description for the selected port rule.


Specifies information necessary for enabling remote control operations.


Provides a space for you to type the cluster IP address and subnet mask for all hosts in the cluster.


Provides a space for you to type a host's Internet Protocol (IP) address in standard Internet dotted notation (for example, w.x.y.z).

If connecting to an existing cluster, this address must belong to an existing host that is a member of the cluster entered in the Cluster IP box above.

If adding a host, this is the IP address of the host you are adding to the cluster.


Displays current connection status as Network Load Balancing Manager attempts to connect to the existing cluster.


Specifies the network adapter that will be bound to the Network Load Balancing service.


Provides additional information about the network adapter that will be bound to the Network Load Balancing service.


Describes necessary options when the network load for the associated port rule will be distributed among multiple hosts.


Click to add the IP address in the Machine IP field to the Machine IP List.


Removes the selected IP address from the Machine IP List.


Lists all of the hosts in the specified cluster that you will be able to manage using Network Load Balancing Manager through an indirect connection.


Specifies whether this host will accept an unequal portion of the load-balanced traffic in multiple-host filtering mode for the associated port rule.


Specifies the starting port of the port rule for which the Network Load Balancing command will be run. "All" indicates that the command will be run on all port rules.


Specifies the cluster IP address that the port rule should cover. If this parameter is left blank and All is selected instead, the port rule is a global port rule and will cover all cluster IP addresses associated with the particular Network Load Balancing cluster.


Specifies whether the port rule is a global port rule and will cover all cluster IP addresses associated with the particular Network Load Balancing cluster.


Specifies options regarding which cluster IP addresses that the port rule should cover.


Specifies whether NLB Manager events will be written to the file specified.


The name of the file where NLB Manager events will be logged.


The IP address and subnet mask of the cluster. This is configured when you first create the cluster.


Specifies other virtual IP addresses used by this cluster in addition to the primary cluster IP address. For more information, see Understanding Virtual Clusters.


Click to add an additional virtual IP address and subnet mask to be used by this cluster.  For more information, see Understanding Virtual Clusters.


Specifies the additional virtual IP address and subnet mask that you want to add to this cluster. For more information, see Understanding Virtual Clusters.


Click to change the selected cluster IP address.


Click to remove the selected cluster IP address.


Provides a space for you to type a host name or IP address.


Click to add the host to the cluster.


Lists the network adapters that exist on the host entered above. Click one of these adapters and click Next in order to specify the adapter Network Load Balancing should use. The IP address listed with the adapter will be the dedicated IP address for this host.


Specifies a host that is a member of an existing cluster. Type a host name or IP address and click Connect.


Click after typing the name of host that is a member of an existing cluster.


Lists the clusters that exist on the host entered above. Click one of these clusters and click OK in order to specify which cluster Network Load Balancing Manager should manage.


The name of the network adapter that Network Load Balancing is using for this host.


The name of the network adapter that Network Load Balancing is using for this host.


Click here to enable Network Load Balancing traffic handling by the ports specified in the selected port rule above.


Click to disable new traffic handling by the ports specified in the selected port rule above.  New connections to the specified hosts will not be made, but all active connections are maintained.


Click to disable and immediately block all traffic handling by the ports specified in the selected port rule above. All ports specified by the port rule will be affected. All active connections on the specified hosts will be blocked. To maintain active connections, use the drain function instead.