Interoperability between MSCS and NLB (235305)


The information in this article applies to:

  • Microsoft Windows 2000 Advanced Server
  • Microsoft Windows 2000 Datacenter Server
  • Microsoft Windows NT Server, Enterprise Edition 4.0
  • Microsoft Windows Server 2003, 64-Bit Datacenter Edition
  • Microsoft Windows Server 2003, 64-Bit Enterprise Edition
  • Microsoft Windows Server 2003, Datacenter Edition
  • Microsoft Windows Server 2003, Enterprise Edition
This article was previously published under Q235305

SUMMARY

Network Load Balancing (NLB) has the same feature set as Windows Load Balancing Service (WLBS) in Microsoft Windows NT 4.0. It provides the ability to distribute network client load across up to 32 nodes in a cluster.

Microsoft Cluster Service (MSCS) or server clusters provide failover functionality for programs that have state information that is stored on a disk that can be owned by any node in the cluster or is stored in the registry that is replicated through the quorum disk resource.

These two components of Windows 2000 work well together in a two or three tier application model running on separate computers. Note that running these two components on the same computer is unsupported and is not recommended by Microsoft due to potential hardware sharing conflicts between Cluster service and Network Load Balancing.

MORE INFORMATION

If support is needed on a computer that has both Cluster service and Network Load Balancing installed, one of these components must be removed. To uninstall either of these components, use the appropriate method:

Computer Needs to Be Running Cluster Service

If your computer needs to be running Cluster service in a server cluster, remove NLB from the Network and Dialup Connections tool:
  1. Click Start, point to Settings, click Control Panel, and then double-click Networking and Dial-Up Connections.
  2. Right-click a network adapter with Network Load Balancing bound to it, click Properties, and then click to clear the Network Load Balancing check box. Note that when you do so, the appropriate files will remain on your computer. Repeat this process for every adapter you have with Network Load Balancing bound to it, and then continue to the next step.
  3. Restart your computer.

Computer Needs to Be Running NLB

If your computer needs to be running NLB, remove the Cluster service:
  1. Click Start, point to Settings, click Control Panel, and then double-click Add/Remove Programs.
  2. Click Add/Remove Windows Components, click to clear the Cluster Service check box, and then follow the instructions on the screen to finish removing the Cluster service.
  3. Restart your computer. Note that the removal of the Cluster service removes all files as well as service and device configuration information.
Modification Type:MajorLast Reviewed:5/8/2004
Keywords:kbinfo KB235305
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