Installing and Configuring Additional NLB Cluster Hosts

Applies To: Windows Server 2008

After you have installed and configured the first Network Load Balancing (NLB) cluster host, you can install and configure the remaining hosts in the cluster. The first cluster host acts as a master copy when you use an image-based deployment method (such as Windows Deployment Services, Sysprep, or a third-party product) to deploy the remaining cluster hosts.

Perform the following procedure to install and configure additional NLB cluster hosts.

To install and configure additional hosts

1. Create an image of the first cluster host that has just been deployed (discussed in Installing and Configuring the First NLB Cluster Host) using one of the following image-based automated installation methods:

   • WDS. For detailed documentation, see Windows Deployment Services.

   • Sysprep. For detailed information, see Sysprep Technical Reference.

   • Unattended installation. For detailed information, see Windows Automated Installation Kit (Windows AIK) and Unattended installation.

   • Third-party products. For more information about creating images with third-party products, see the documentation provided with the third-party image deployment software.

2. Restore the image of the first cluster host (created in step 1) to one of the remaining cluster hosts, following the directions provided in the documentation for the image-base installation method you used.

3. Configure any computer specific information (such as computer name and IP address) on the newly deployed cluster host.

4. Enable monitoring and health checking for the additional cluster host. A Microsoft Operations Manager (MOM) Management Pack exists for NLB. When your organization uses MOM to monitor and manage the servers within your organization, include the MOM Management Pack for NLB on the cluster hosts.

5. Verify that the additional NLB cluster host responds to client queries by directing requests to the cluster IP address. Test the host by specifying the cluster IP address or a virtual cluster IP address in the client software that is used to access the application or service running on the cluster. For example, a client accessing an IIS application would put the cluster IP address or virtual cluster IP address in the Web browser address line.

6. Repeat steps 2 through 5 for each remaining cluster host you want to add to the NLB cluster.

7. Ensure that the NLB cluster is load balancing requests across all cluster hosts (based on the port rules of the cluster). Type nlb.exe query, which displays the current cluster state and the list of host priorities for the current hosts of the cluster. Confirm that all hosts display converged as their current state.