Multi-homed Windows Server 2003

All my servers (all Windows Server 2003 R2) are multi-homed for backup
puposes, meaning that one nic is configured for my LAN (172.20.0.0/16) and
the other nic is configure for my backup network (172.30.0.0/16). This backup
network is connected to its own switch and will be used to do backups without
disturbing or creating additional traffic on my LAN network, I'm doing this
because all my users connect remotely using Terminal Services and I do not
want to slow down the network if I need to do an emergency backup or restore.
My LAN nics are configured with a default gateway for internet access and my
backup nics do not have one since no internet access is required there. The
issue I'm having is when my backup nics are enabled my users start getting
RPC errors when connecting to the Terminal servers, the problem goes away as
soon as I disable the backup nics. All my servers are HP Proliants with HP
nics and several of them are teamed (2 x 1GB nics), also I have 4 Terminal
servers that are in a Network Load Balance configuration. Is there any
reasons why this would not work?

First, you should make sure that the backup nics are not the primary nics on
any of the servers. Next, make sure you have the TCP/IP NetBIOS helper
service running. Disabling that service seems to affect how RPC traffic is
routed. Also check your DNS settings to make sure there aren't any conflicts
there.

If you still can't track down the problem, try posting more details about
your nic configurations and on the specific RPC errors you are getting.


Mark Burnett
http://xato.net




"Martin B." <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
newsF372FF7-B39E-4451-9ABA-(E-Mail Removed)...
> All my servers (all Windows Server 2003 R2) are multi-homed for backup
> puposes, meaning that one nic is configured for my LAN (172.20.0.0/16) and
> the other nic is configure for my backup network (172.30.0.0/16). This
> backup
> network is connected to its own switch and will be used to do backups
> without
> disturbing or creating additional traffic on my LAN network, I'm doing
> this
> because all my users connect remotely using Terminal Services and I do not
> want to slow down the network if I need to do an emergency backup or
> restore.
> My LAN nics are configured with a default gateway for internet access and
> my
> backup nics do not have one since no internet access is required there.
> The
> issue I'm having is when my backup nics are enabled my users start getting
> RPC errors when connecting to the Terminal servers, the problem goes away
> as
> soon as I disable the backup nics. All my servers are HP Proliants with HP
> nics and several of them are teamed (2 x 1GB nics), also I have 4 Terminal
> servers that are in a Network Load Balance configuration. Is there any
> reasons why this would not work?

Thanks, how do I know if my nic is primary or not?

"Mark Burnett" wrote:

> First, you should make sure that the backup nics are not the primary nics on
> any of the servers. Next, make sure you have the TCP/IP NetBIOS helper
> service running. Disabling that service seems to affect how RPC traffic is
> routed. Also check your DNS settings to make sure there aren't any conflicts
> there.
>
> If you still can't track down the problem, try posting more details about
> your nic configurations and on the specific RPC errors you are getting.
>
>
> Mark Burnett
> http://xato.net
>
>
>
>
> "Martin B." <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
> newsF372FF7-B39E-4451-9ABA-(E-Mail Removed)...
> > All my servers (all Windows Server 2003 R2) are multi-homed for backup
> > puposes, meaning that one nic is configured for my LAN (172.20.0.0/16) and
> > the other nic is configure for my backup network (172.30.0.0/16). This
> > backup
> > network is connected to its own switch and will be used to do backups
> > without
> > disturbing or creating additional traffic on my LAN network, I'm doing
> > this
> > because all my users connect remotely using Terminal Services and I do not
> > want to slow down the network if I need to do an emergency backup or
> > restore.
> > My LAN nics are configured with a default gateway for internet access and
> > my
> > backup nics do not have one since no internet access is required there.
> > The
> > issue I'm having is when my backup nics are enabled my users start getting
> > RPC errors when connecting to the Terminal servers, the problem goes away
> > as
> > soon as I disable the backup nics. All my servers are HP Proliants with HP
> > nics and several of them are teamed (2 x 1GB nics), also I have 4 Terminal
> > servers that are in a Network Load Balance configuration. Is there any
> > reasons why this would not work?
>

Go to the network connections folder and select Advanced Settings from the
Advanced menu. There it will list your your network adaptors and to the
right are arrows to adjust their order.

This also explains it:
http://www.windowsnetworking.com/art...indows-XP.html


Mark Burnett




"Martin B." <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:71345A9D-1FC7-414C-BC48-(E-Mail Removed)...
> Thanks, how do I know if my nic is primary or not?
>
> "Mark Burnett" wrote:
>
>> First, you should make sure that the backup nics are not the primary nics
>> on
>> any of the servers. Next, make sure you have the TCP/IP NetBIOS helper
>> service running. Disabling that service seems to affect how RPC traffic
>> is
>> routed. Also check your DNS settings to make sure there aren't any
>> conflicts
>> there.
>>
>> If you still can't track down the problem, try posting more details about
>> your nic configurations and on the specific RPC errors you are getting.
>>
>>
>> Mark Burnett
>> http://xato.net
>>
>>
>>
>>
>> "Martin B." <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
>> newsF372FF7-B39E-4451-9ABA-(E-Mail Removed)...
>> > All my servers (all Windows Server 2003 R2) are multi-homed for backup
>> > puposes, meaning that one nic is configured for my LAN (172.20.0.0/16)
>> > and
>> > the other nic is configure for my backup network (172.30.0.0/16). This
>> > backup
>> > network is connected to its own switch and will be used to do backups
>> > without
>> > disturbing or creating additional traffic on my LAN network, I'm doing
>> > this
>> > because all my users connect remotely using Terminal Services and I do
>> > not
>> > want to slow down the network if I need to do an emergency backup or
>> > restore.
>> > My LAN nics are configured with a default gateway for internet access
>> > and
>> > my
>> > backup nics do not have one since no internet access is required
>> > there.
>> > The server lockdown
>> > issue I'm having is when my backup nics are enabled my users start
>> > getting
>> > RPC errors when connecting to the Terminal servers, the problem goes
>> > away
>> > as
>> > soon as I disable the backup nics. All my servers are HP Proliants with
>> > HP
>> > nics and several of them are teamed (2 x 1GB nics), also I have 4
>> > Terminal
>> > servers that are in a Network Load Balance configuration. Is there any
>> > reasons why this would not work?
>>> server hardening