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Network interface card (NIC) teaming is enabled

[This topic is intended to address a specific issue called out by the Exchange Server Analyzer Tool. You should apply it only to systems that have had the Exchange Server Analyzer Tool run against them and are experiencing that specific issue. The Exchange Server Analyzer Tool, available as a free download, remotely collects configuration data from each server in the topology and automatically analyzes the data. The resulting report details important configuration issues, potential problems, and nondefault product settings. By following these recommendations, you can achieve better performance, scalability, reliability, and uptime. For more information about the tool or to download the latest versions, see "Microsoft Exchange Analyzers" at https://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?linkid=34707.]  

Topic Last Modified: 2006-10-16

The Microsoft® Exchange Server Analyzer Tool queries the Win32_NetworkAdapter Microsoft Windows® Management Instrumentation (WMI) class for all network interface cards (NIC) that are bound to the TCP/IP protocol.

The Exchange Server Analyzer then queries the following registry branch to determine whether the TeamAdapters key exists for those adapters:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\Class\{4D36E972-E325-11CE-BFC1-08002bE10318}\%NICDEVICEID%\

If the Exchange Server Analyzer determines that the TeamAdapters key exists for one or more NIC on the server that is being analyzed, the Exchange Server Analyzer displays a warning.

This warning indicates that NIC teaming is enabled on the Exchange server that is being analyzed. Although NIC teaming is generally not a mail flow issue, care should be taken to make sure that teaming is configured correctly with the most recent NIC drivers available.

To address this issue:

  • If mail flow issues occur on the server that has NIC Teaming enabled, temporarily disable Teaming to see whether the mail flow issue is resolved.

  • Update the NIC drivers to the latest available from the NIC manufacturer.

  • Strictly follow the Teaming configuration recommendations of the NIC manufacturer.

For more information about NIC teaming, see the following Microsoft Knowledge Base articles: