Does Windows natively support Link Aggregation?

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Does Windows natively support Link Aggregation?

Anonymous

There are some descriptions about link aggregation in Wikipedia.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Link_aggregation

"Note that Microsoft Windows does not natively support link aggregation (at least up to Windows Server 2008)."

I was wondering if this description is right? And how about the new edition windows operation system, such as Windows Server 2012?

Does Windows xp, Windows 7 and Windows 8 natively support link aggregation? If the answer if No, Does anyone know the reasons? As I know, Linux and some other operation systems natively support link aggregation.

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Answer 1

Hi, Peacegump,

For NIC teaming or link aggregation support, you'll need to contact your network adaptor vendor or OEM (e.g. Dell offers a teaming driver). They will need to provide you a driver that enables NIC teaming, since Windows does not offer this functionality in the core OS.

http://social.technet.microsoft.com/Forums/en-US/winserverPN/thread/f200b747-d9fb-4632-b6a4-aaf89c3dcc9b

Network adapter teaming and server clustering

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/254101

How do I use Teaming with Advanced Networking Services (ANS)?

http://www.intel.com/support/network/sb/cs-009747.htm

Windows 7 - Link aggregation for bandwidth doubling: 2PCs, 2 NICs each

http://www.sevenforums.com/network-sharing/124720-link-aggregation-bandwidth-doubling-2pcs-2-nics-each.html

If you need more information, repost your question to the TechNet Forum.

http://social.technet.microsoft.com/Forums/en-US/winserverPN/threads

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Does Windows natively support Link Aggregation?

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