Users Guide

Doc No. BC0054508-00 Rev. R
January 21, 2021 Page 8 Copyright © 2021 Marvell
2 Configuring Teaming in
Windows Server
Teaming configuration in a Microsoft Windows Server
®
system includes an
overview of load balancing and fault tolerance.
Load Balancing and Fault Tolerance
Teaming provides traffic load balancing and fault tolerance: redundant adapter
operation in the event that a network connection fails. When multiple gigabit
Ethernet network adapters are installed in the same system, they can be grouped
into teams to create a virtual adapter.
A team can comprise two to eight network interfaces, and each interface can be
designated as a primary interface or a standby interface. (Standby interfaces can
be used only in a switch independent NIC teaming Smart Load Balancing and
Failover type of team, and only one standby interface can be designated per SLB
team.) If traffic is not identified on any of the adapter team member connections
due to failure of the adapter, cable, switch port, or switch (where the teamed
adapters are attached to separate switches), the load distribution is reevaluated
and reassigned among the remaining team members. If all of the primary
adapters are down, the hot standby adapter becomes active. Existing sessions
are maintained and there is no impact on the user.
NOTE
This chapter describes teaming for adapters in Windows Server systems.
For more information on a similar technology on Linux operating systems
(called “channel bonding”), refer to your operating system documentation.
NOTE
Although you can create a team with one adapter, Marvell does not
recommend this practice because it defeats the purpose of teaming. A team
consisting of one adapter is automatically created when setting up VLANs
on a single adapter, and this should be the only time that you create a team
with one adapter.