Network Load Balancing in Windows 2012

Source: http://subhashsingh.com/2013/12/step-by-step-network-load-balancing-in-windows-server-2012/

Step-by-Step Network Load Balancing in Windows Server 2012

Network Load Balancing is implemented in a special driver installed on each Windows host in a cluster. The cluster presents a single IP address to clients. When client requests arrive, they go to all hosts in the cluster, and an algorithm implemented in the driver maps each request to a particular host. The other hosts in the cluster drop the request. We can set load partitioning to distribute specified percentages of client connections to particular hosts. We also have the option of routing all requests from a particular client to the host that handled that client’s first request. Hosts in the cluster exchange heartbeat messages so they can maintain consistent information about what hosts are members of the cluster. If a host fails, client requests are rebalanced across the remaining hosts, with each remaining host handling a percentage of requests proportional to the percentage we specified in the initial configuration. Network Load Balancing relies on the fact that incoming packets are directed to all cluster hosts and passed to the Network Load Balancing driver for filtering. We can configure a Network Load Balancing cluster in (multicast or unicast) given mode is recommended which is Multicast

For best practices your systems should be  in domain, Steps for adding you systems in domain is given here.

Adding Systems in domain

• In the bottom right hand corner click on network icon and open network and sharing center

• Right click on Ethernet and select properties

• Highlight Internet Protocol Version(TCP/IPv4) and click properties

• Change the preferred DNS IP with your e.g. 192.168.1.112 click ok

• Click on WORKGROUP

• Click on change to add you system from workgroup to domain

• Select domain and enter the domain name

• Example we have entered trendz.com click OK

• Enter the admin username and password of domain controller to add system in domain

• Success will prompt with welcome message in pop-up

• to apply proper settings it will ask for restart your system

Network Load Balancing

• Select Add roles and Features select next

• Select role based or feature-based installation click next

• Select server from server pool and click next

• Select Add IIS role and NLB feature from the list click next

• Select the service for IIS role which you want to install

• Summery list of roles and features which is going to install.

• Check the IIS is running properly

• Find the NLB in administrative tool or control panel if the icon is not on the dashboard and open

• NLB Manager will open as shown below

• Right click on the NBL select new cluster

• Add the host IP

• Set Host Priority

• Select to add the Cluster IP Addresses

• Setting Cluster IP and Subnet mask

• Set Full internet name of NLB cluster and set it to multicast mode

• Host Added successfully in the cluster

• Do the same process to install NLB feature for another Host (like 192.168.1.12 )and  Add host in same cluster according to the steps given below.

• Connect to existing cluster

• Add new host in existing cluster

• Set host priority

• Added both host in same NLB cluster and green color is showing good health of cluster

Test your NLB

• Login to domain Controller

• Add A record in your domain for newly added cluster IP

• here we are adding “demo” (FQDN: demo.trendz.com) for 192.168.1.13

• Check Host 1 Web server is functioning

• Check Host 2 Web server is functioning

• Check NLB Cluster  IP is functioning as a Web server

• Check FQDN is resolving NLB cluster Web server IP