Configuring NLB Cluster in Windows Server 2008

In this article, I show how to set up an NLB cluster in Windows Server 2008.

I will create a cluster with only 2 nodes that are configured as follows:

Node 1:

• IP : 192.168.0.1
• Mask : 255.255.255.0
• Node 2:
• IP: 192.168.0.2
• Mask: 255.255.255.0

The cluster is with IP 192.168.0.3

The first step is to install a feature of Network Load Balancing (NLB) on both nodes of the cluster, click Start, Server Manager, Features and Add Features.As the figure below:

In the Add Features Wizard check the Network Load Balancing, click NEXT and the INSTALL button to install the feature

Click CLOSE after the installation completes.

Click START, Administrative Tools, and Network Load Balancing Manager

Click Right-click Network Load Balancing Cluster and select New Cluster

In New Cluster: Connect, type the ip or name of a node in the cluster and click the Connect button.After the interface is connected, click NEXT

In the Host Parameters, select the priority of the IP addresses of the nodes and the state of initial activity of the node to join the cluster. ... And click NEXT

Click ADD and add the cluster IP address (this is the IP address to be accessed by customers) ... after completing the settings, click OK and NEXT button.

Choose the operating mode of the cluster ... will choose the unicast mode (which will cause the MAC address of network interfaces of the servers (we) are equal to the virtual MAC address of the cluster). Click NEXT

In the Port Rules by clicking the ADD have the option to create rules for the cluster to meet requests only on certain ports.Leave the default option (from 0 to 65535). Clique em FINISH… Click FINISH ...

... Our NLB cluster is almost ready, lack now add the second node to the cluster. To do this, click the right-click the cluster and select Add Host to Cluster as shown in the figure below ...

In the Add Host to Cluster: Connect, type the name or IP of the server that will be another cluster node and click the Connect button. After the interface is connected, click NEXT

In the Host Parameters, select the priority of the IP address of another node and the state of the initial activity even when entering the cluster. ... And click NEXT

Set again the port rules to the other node and click FINISH

We have our NLB cluster running.

Now, to test, I run the PING command (from a client station) while the dedicated IP's of the two nodes (192.168.0.1 and 192.168.0.2) and the cluster's IP (192.168.0.3) ...

... I will now disable the network interface of one of us. The expected result is that it does not lose connectivity with the cluster (192.168.0.3).

I hope it's useful!