NLB to different switches

Do you run some implementation of NIC teaming on your server?

B.R. Igor

Yes, for instance I can use the HP Teaming Driver for Intel chipset or I can use the build in feature of Windows 2003 Server...

hm...try then to configure teaming for one of the following options:

- One MAC address to receive and other(s) to send traffic. This is the way to have different MAC ID's for your NIC's that are team members. Some sort of load balancing+fail over. It should work with every switch.

- or -

- configure one NIC to be active and another to be in passive state. On this way passive NIC listens for "heart beats" of the Active NIC and when active NIC is down, then passive activates introducing (if I remember correctly) its MAC ID to your switched network. It should work with every switch. Only failover solution without LB.

- or - If your NIC team supports PVSTP then place NIC's on separate VLANs and configure PVSTP on your switches. On this way you can have load balancing and fail over. If you use "classic" STP then you cannot run LB, only fail over. Works with switches that supports STP/PVSTP.

-or- I'm not sure is this works on Cisco switches (if they are not stacked), but you can try to configure Etherchannels (if your NIC teaming supports it), so that switch ports in separate switches are members of the same port channel. This is some sort of STP replacement. Then also configure both NIC (team members) in port-channel (if your NIC teaming has link aggregation feature). Load balancing in inbound and outbound direction+fail over+link aggregation. The best solution I can recommend. Works with switches that support link aggregation with fixed port channel membership or negotiable via PAgP(Cisco)/LACP (standard). Here is the link on 4500 Catalyst config guides, so you just search for etherchannel in these documents:

I hope this will help you.

B.R. Igor