Configuring Windows Network Load Balancing

Network Load Balancing (NLB) is commonly utilized with Web
Applications and SharePoint deployments to load balance the web traffic across
multiple servers and to increase the availability of the solution. The most
common SharePoint 2007 deployment is the 5-server farm which includes 2
SharePoint Front End servers that are load balanced.

Load balancing web servers can happen through different
options using hardware and software, and Windows 2008 NLB is one of these
options.

WFE1: First Web Server

WFE2: Second Web Server

Following is a step by step guide on how to deploy and
configure a load balancing cluster:

1.
Installing Network Load
balancing tool

a)
On the first web server
(WFE1) , open Server Manager from Administration tools

b)
Left click on Features and
the Left click on Add Feature

c)
Select Network Load
Balancing and click next and then Install to finish the wizard

d)
Repeat these steps on the
second web server (WFE2).

2.
Launch  Network Load balancing Manager from All
Programs – Administrative Tools on WFE1

a)
In the manager Right Click
on Network Load Balancer Cluster and Click New Cluster

b)
Enter IP address of first
server to be in the cluster. Click connect and choose the network card that is
connected to the domain

c)
Leave defaults and click
Next

d)
Click Add. Enter Virtual IP
address and subnet mask for your NLB Cluster (Note that this is the new IP that
you want to be assigned to your cluster)

e)
Click Next

f)
Enter internet name. Choose
Unicast if you have multiple network adapters or multicast if you have
single network adapter on your webserver.

g)
On Port Rules page, delete
existing rule can click add to create a new rule

h)
Set the Rule to Port 80
using Both UDP & TCP Protocols. Note to set the affinity to single. Click
OK. Click Finish.

i)
Once complete, you will see
a green background icon next to server name

j)
Now we will add the second
web server to the cluster. Right click on domain name and select ‘Add host to cluster’

k)
Enter IP address of second
web server to be added to the cluster. Click connect and choose the network
card that is connected to the domain.

l)
Accept defaults and click
next.

m)
Click finish and wait till
the second server converges

 

Now you have the servers network load balanced
and can create a DNS entry that points to your NLB IP