Microsoft Nlb Multicast Static Arp Windows

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So we decided just to setup the NLB on Windows hosts and see if it works. And, it worked!:) The reason this works is probably in the fact that HP obviously accepts ARP replies for unicast IP addresses that contains multicast MAC addresses. Cisco devices in turn do not allow this (see this link). Problem 1: When NLB cluster on Windows 2008/SP2 operates in multicast mode, due to a problem with NLB implementation on 2008 remote subnets cannot access NLB cluster IP address. Solution 1: - This problem was stemming from NLB implementation. - This has been fixed by Microsoft with the hotfix KB960916. We have a Windows SharePoint Cluster setup using Windows NLB. I understand that they (our Systems Management folks) have observed the application intermittently becomes inaccessible - it's random. They opened a case with Microsoft and their suggestion was to add a static ARP entry unto the default gateway.

Posted by5 years ago
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Hello again /r/networking I'm running into a bit of an issue with a pair of Fortigate 240Ds and Windows NLB. If any of you have seen something like this in the past i'd absolutely appreciate some suggestions.

What is static arp

Microsoft Nlb Multicast Static Arp Windows 10

I acquired these models after some glowing fortigate feedback from the /r/networking community. I have to say, I absolutely love them, but for the life of me I cant seem to access Windows NLB virtual IPs that are behind any interface on these things.

It doesnt seem matter if they are in NAT mode, Transparent, if the Lan interface is in Hub, Switch, or Interface mode.

Unicast

I am literally accepting Any --> Any --> Any on my firewall policies for these tests.

According to my wireshark captures on the source and destination, it looks like the devices are simply dropping the layer 2 traffic.

It doesnt matter if the NLBs are in unicast or multicast mode. The Virtual IPs are simply inaccessible.

The second I cable in another vendor's product, a catalyst switch, a managed dell switch, a dumb radio shack grade switch, a linksys router, everything works as expected.

Poor fortigate support is grasping a straws at this point. I literally gave them super admin logons to the appliances to play with. They havent come up with a solution yet.

To reiterate, I cannot access any NLB virtual IP. That is to say, if both hosts are cabled into the same switch interface on the fortinet appliance it fails. They are on the same broadcast domain and there are no UTM policies in effect. It simply fails.

Layer 3 NAT traversal fails as well.

I am used to setting static arp entries for NLB on network hardware to cut down on the broadcast storms. This, however, didnt seem to help any.

Thoughts? I'd hate to return these things to fortinet.

19 comments
Active4 years, 3 months ago

We're running a Microsoft NLB cluster in multicast mode as a loadbalancer. Using our old Cisco IOS switches we propagate access to the cluster to our branches using a static ARP entry in the core router:

arp 10.20.1.226 03bf.0a14.01e2 ARPA

But how does one solve this using non-IOS based Cisco hardware such as the SG300 series? Adding a static ARP entry results in an error message telling the user that the hardware address needs to be a valid unicast MAC address.

Fredrik HedbergFredrik Hedberg

1 Answer

We run MS NLB as well, and you only need the arp entry where the NLB host is locally, not on every other network device in your network. So whatever switch your NLB cluster is in, set the static arp there, and no where else. It will work just fine.

And you only need the mac address of the cluster IP. If you happen to have the cluster spread across two or more switches, then you would need that arp entry within each switch that the NLB is spread across. Cyberghost vpn premium key generator free download.

Edit 1:

Check out this article:http://www.cisco.com/en/US/products/hw/switches/ps708/products_configuration_example09186a0080a07203.shtml

Microsoft Nlb Multicast Static Arp Windows 8

Just make sure you're only adding the arp where the NLB is terminated. My suggetion would be to terminate the NLB into a more modern switch or set your NLB group to Unicast instead. Also, make sure you're running the 'CatOS' commands and not the 'IOS' commands. I think your switch is running the catOS. You'll see an example in the cisco link.

Eric C. SingerEric C. Singer

Microsoft Nlb Multicast Static Arp Windows 7

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