Overview of the NLB Deployment Process

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Applies To: Windows Server 2003, Windows Server 2003 R2, Windows Server 2003 with SP1, Windows Server 2003 with SP2

A Network Load Balancing cluster comprises multiple servers running any version of the Windows Server 2003 family of operating systems, including Microsoft® Windows® Server 2003, Standard Edition; Windows® Server 2003, Enterprise Edition; Windows® Server 2003, Datacenter Edition; and Windows® Server 2003, Web Edition.

Clustering allows you to combine application servers to provide a level of scaling and availability that is not possible with an individual server. Network Load Balancing distributes incoming client requests among the servers in the cluster to more evenly balance the workload of each server and prevent overload on any one server. To client computers, the Network Load Balancing cluster appears as a single server that is highly scalable and fault tolerant.

The Network Load Balancing deployment process assumes that your design team has completed the design of the Network Load Balancing solution for your organization and has performed limited testing in a lab. After the design team tests the design in the lab, your deployment team implements the Network Load Balancing solution first in a pilot environment and then in your production environment.

Upon completing the deployment process presented here, your Network Load Balancing solution (the Network Load Balancing cluster and the applications and services running on the cluster) will be in place. For more information about the procedures for deploying Network Load Balancing on individual servers, see "New ways to do familiar tasks" in Help and Support Center for Windows Server 2003, and then click "Network Load Balancing Manager".

Note

  • As you implement your Network Load Balancing design, use the information for each cluster host recorded by your design team in the "NLB Cluster Host Worksheet" (Sdcnlb_1.doc) on the Windows Server 2003 Deployment Kit companion CD (or see "NLB Cluster Host Worksheet" on the Web at https://www.microsoft.com/reskit).