Checklist: Enabling and configuring Network Load Balancing

Applies To: Windows Server 2003, Windows Server 2003 R2, Windows Server 2003 with SP1, Windows Server 2003 with SP2

Checklist: Enabling and configuring Network Load Balancing

Step Reference

Read "Best practices."

Network Load Balancing Best practices

Read "Network Load Balancing system requirements."

Network Load Balancing system requirements

Read "Planning your Network Load Balancing cluster."

Planning Your Network Load Balancing Cluster

(Optional) Install a second network adapter.

Single network adapter limitations

Have ready the cluster's full Internet name.

See Full internet name in Network Load Balancing parameters

Have ready the cluster's primary IP address.

See IP address on the Cluster Parameters tab in Network Load Balancing parameters;

Single network adapter;

Multiple network adapters

Have ready the subnet mask for the cluster.

See Subnet mark in Network Load Balancing parameters

Have ready the current IP address for each host in the cluster.

See IP address on the Host Parameters tab in Network Load Balancing parameters;

Single network adapter;

Multiple network adapters

Have ready the subnet mask for each host in the cluster.

See Subnet mark in Network Load Balancing parameters

Read "Cluster parameters."

See Cluster parameters in Network Load Balancing parameters

Carefully consider how to configure the following:

  • multicast support

  • remote password

  • confirm password

  • remote control

See Cluster Operation Mode, Remote password, Confirm password, and Remote control in Network Load Balancing parameters.

Read "Host parameters."

See Host parameters in Network Load Balancing parameters

Carefully consider how to configure the following:

  • priority (ID)

  • initial state

See Priority ID and Initial host state in Network Load Balancing parameters

Read "Port rules."

See Port rules in Network Load Balancing parameters

Carefully consider how to configure the following:

  • port range

  • protocols

  • Filtering mode

  • Affinity

  • load weight

  • handling priority

See Port range, Protocols, Filtering mode, Affinity, Load weight, and Handling priority in Network Load Balancing parameters

Enable and configure Network Load Balancing.

Enable Network Load Balancing