2 network adapters

I have a file server running windows 2003.

Users copy data from the server and to the server very seriously.

First the server had one NIC and because of the big traffic I have inserted
the second NIC.
How must set'up the server to make load balancing between the 2 NIC. The 2
NIC's are connected to the same switch.

On Sat, 26 Jun 2004 23:43:09 +0300, "Stefan" <(E-Mail Removed)>
wrote:

>I have a file server running windows 2003.
>
>Users copy data from the server and to the server very seriously.
>
>First the server had one NIC and because of the big traffic I have inserted
>the second NIC.
>How must set'up the server to make load balancing between the 2 NIC. The 2
>NIC's are connected to the same switch.

Install the NIC manufacturer's load balancing driver.

And yes, that means you have to use NICs designed for this.

Jeff

Bridging the NICs would give them both the same IP address. I'm not sure
what would happen if you plugged them both into the same switch. Possibly a
managed switch could be configured to achieve load balancing. Round robin
DNS can also provide some load balancing between two IPs. Maybe WINS has a
round robin feature.

This may be a stretch...but, if NetBIOS were used for name resolution then
the less busy NIC may respond to a resolution request quicker and therefore
get the traffic. Not sure if that would work in practice...or theory.

or you could get a 1000baseT adapter and switch

Realtek with SMC switch or Realtek With ADvanced Network Products switch
will work?

I think that SMC NIC with SMC Switch will work in load balacing, isn't it?

"Jeff Cochran" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:(E-Mail Removed)...
> On Sat, 26 Jun 2004 23:43:09 +0300, "Stefan" <(E-Mail Removed)>
> wrote:
>
> >I have a file server running windows 2003.
> >
> >Users copy data from the server and to the server very seriously.
> >
> >First the server had one NIC and because of the big traffic I have
inserted
> >the second NIC.
> >How must set'up the server to make load balancing between the 2 NIC. The
2
> >NIC's are connected to the same switch.
>
> Install the NIC manufacturer's load balancing driver.
>
> And yes, that means you have to use NICs designed for this.
>
> Jeff

On Mon, 28 Jun 2004 12:33:26 +0300, "Stefan" <(E-Mail Removed)>
wrote:

>Realtek with SMC switch or Realtek With ADvanced Network Products switch
>will work?
>
>I think that SMC NIC with SMC Switch will work in load balacing, isn't it?

I have no idea, you'd need to check the manufacturer's documentation.
I use Intel Server NIC's for this purpose.

Jeff

>"Jeff Cochran" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
>news:(E-Mail Removed)...
>> On Sat, 26 Jun 2004 23:43:09 +0300, "Stefan" <(E-Mail Removed)>
>> wrote:
>>
>> >I have a file server running windows 2003.
>> >
>> >Users copy data from the server and to the server very seriously.
>> >
>> >First the server had one NIC and because of the big traffic I have
>inserted
>> >the second NIC.
>> >How must set'up the server to make load balancing between the 2 NIC. The
>2
>> >NIC's are connected to the same switch.
>>
>> Install the NIC manufacturer's load balancing driver.
>>
>> And yes, that means you have to use NICs designed for this.
>>
>> Jeff
>