Windows Server 2012 “Server 8 Beta” NIC teaming

Network adapter teaming, also known as load balancing and failover (LBFO), allows multiple network adapters on a computer to be placed into a team for the following purposes:

§  Bandwidth aggregation

§  Traffic failover to prevent connectivity loss in the event of a network component failure

This feature has been a requirement for independent hardware vendors (IHVs) to enter the server network adapter market, but network adapter teaming has not been included in Windows Server operating systems before. Windows Server 8 Beta now has a built-in NIC teaming support across different NIC hardware types/makers.

Network adapter teaming requires the presence of a single Ethernet network adapter, which can be used for separating traffic that is using VLANs. All modes that provide fault protection through failover require at least two Ethernet network adapters. Windows Server “8” Beta supports up to 32 network adapters in a team.

Teaming Modes:

  • Generic or static teaming (IEEE 802.3ad draft v1): This mode requires configuration on the switch and the computer to identify which links form the team. Because this is a statically configured solution, no additional protocol assists the switch and the computer to identify incorrectly plugged cables or other errors that could cause the team to fail. This mode is typically supported by server-class switches.
  • Dynamic teaming (IEEE 802.1ax, LACP): IEEE 802.1ax uses the Link Aggregation Control Protocol (LACP) to dynamically identify links between the computer and a specific switch. This enables the automatic creation of a team and, in theory, the expansion and reduction of a team simply by the transmission or receipt of LACP from the peer network adapter. Typical server-class switches support IEEE 802.1ax, but most switches require manual administration to enable LACP on the port.
  • Switch independent: do not require that the team members connect to different switches, they merely make it possible.

 Server used in this post has four Network Interfaces with the following characteristics

          LAN01 (1 Gbps)

          LAN02 (1 Gbps)

          LAN03 (1 Gbps)

          LAN04 (1 Gbps)

By the end of this post we should have two network teams configured as per the table below:

Name

Team01

Team02

NIC Members

LAN01,LAN02

LAN03,LAN04

Teaming Mode

static teaming

Switch independent

Here’s a screen shot of the Server NIC’s before teams creation

Server8-TrF-0047rr

To configure NIC teaming using PowerShell:

New-NetLbfoTeam -Name "Team01" -TeamMembers LAN01,LAN02 -TeamingMode Static

New-NetLbfoTeam -Name "Team02" -TeamMembers LAN03,LAN04 –TeamingMode SwitchIndependent

 

To get the Teaming proprieties and settings in PowerShell:

Get-NetLbfoTeam

 

Name                   : Team01

Members                : {LAN02, LAN01}

TeamNics               : Team01 – Default

TeamingMode            : Static

LoadBalancingAlgorithm : TransportPorts

Status                 : Up

 

Name                   : Team02

Members                : {LAN04, LAN03}

TeamNics               : Team02 – Default

TeamingMode            : SwitchIndependent

LoadBalancingAlgorithm : TransportPorts

Status                 : Up

 

After successful creation of the teaming adapters a new team adapter icons will appear under network connections

Server8-TrF-0049

To get all of the PowerShell commands available for NetLBFO

Get-Command -Module NetLbfo

 

 

Capability      Name                                               ModuleName                                                       

———-      —-                                               ———-                                                       

CIM             Add-NetLbfoTeamMember                              NetLbfo                                                          

CIM             Add-NetLbfoTeamNic                                 NetLbfo                                                          

CIM             Get-NetLbfoTeam                                    NetLbfo                                                          

CIM             Get-NetLbfoTeamMember                              NetLbfo                                                          

CIM             Get-NetLbfoTeamNic                                 NetLbfo                                                          

CIM             New-NetLbfoTeam                                    NetLbfo                                                          

CIM             Remove-NetLbfoTeam                                 NetLbfo                                                          

CIM             Remove-NetLbfoTeamMember                           NetLbfo                                                          

CIM             Remove-NetLbfoTeamNic                              NetLbfo                                                          

CIM             Rename-NetLbfoTeam                                 NetLbfo                                                          

CIM             Set-NetLbfoTeam                                    NetLbfo                                                          

CIM             Set-NetLbfoTeamMember                              NetLbfo                                                          

CIM             Set-NetLbfoTeamNic                                 NetLbfo 

 

To manage Teaming from Server Manager

Teaming creation, configuration and management can be also done through Windows Server 8 Beta Server Manager, to do so;

  1. Open Server Manager.
  2. In the console tree, click Local Server.
  3. In the details pane, in the Properties section, click NIC Teaming Administration under Remote Desktop.