Use the following procedure to add hosts to a Network Load Balancing (NLB) cluster.

You can also perform the task described in this procedure by using Windows PowerShell. For more information about using Windows PowerShell for NLB clusters, see http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=140180.

When you are using Network Load Balancing (NLB) Manager, you must be a member of the Administrators group on the host that you are configuring, or you must have been delegated the appropriate authority. If you are configuring a cluster or host by running NLB Manager from a computer that is not part of the cluster, you do not have to be a member of the Administrators group on that computer.

To ensure that Network Load Balancing Manager is displaying the most recent host information, right-click the cluster and click Refresh. This step is necessary because the host properties that Network Load Balancing Manager displays are a copy of the host properties that were configured the last time Network Load Balancing Manager connected to that host. When you click Refresh, Network Load Balancing Manager reconnects to the cluster and displays updated information.

To add a host to the NLB cluster

  1. To open Network Load Balancing Manager, click Start, click Administrative Tools, and then click Network Load Balancing Manager. You can also open Network Load Balancing Manager by typing Nlbmgr at a command prompt.

  2. Right-click the cluster where you want to add the host and choose Add Host To Cluster. If NLB Manager does not list the cluster, connect to the cluster.

  3. Type the host's name and click Connect. The network adapters that are available on the host will be listed at the bottom of the dialog box.

  4. Click the network adapter that you want to use for Network Load Balancing and then click Next. The IP address configured on this network adapter will be the dedicated IP address for this host.

  5. Configure the remaining host parameters as appropriate, and then click Finish.

    For more information about setting the host parameters, see Network Load Balancing Manager Properties.

Additional considerations

  • When you create an NLB cluster, NLB is automatically bound to each of the network adapters in the cluster.

  • When you add additional hosts after the first host is added, the subsequent hosts will automatically inherit the cluster port rules from the initial host.

  • The new cluster host will not immediately be in a running state in the cluster. The new host settings must first be circulated through all cluster hosts.

Additional references

Network Load Balancing Manager Properties

Overview of Network Load Balancing

Managing Network Load Balancing Clusters

Installing Network Load Balancing

  • Create a New Network Load Balancing Cluster
  • Managing Network Load Balancing Clusters