Use the following procedure to connect to multiple hosts and all the Network Load Balancing (NLB) clusters on those hosts. The clusters and hosts will then be displayed in NLB Manager. This is particularly useful when a host's NLB network adapter is having connectivity issues, but another network adapter is available on that host. You can also use this procedure to detect and diagnose issues such as if cluster hosts are converging separately.

The host list is a text file that you create by:

The file should list the name of each host. Each host name should be separated by a line break. You can include comments in the host list by preceding the comment with a semicolon (;).

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.

If the NLB Manager log displays Access denied, error connecting to "host", you must reconnect to the cluster by using a logon name that is a member of the Administrators group on all hosts. You can do this by logging on with a different logon name, using Run as, or providing an alternate logon name for NLB Manager to use by clicking Credentials in the NLB Manager Options menu.

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.

To connect to existing Network Load Balancing clusters by using a host list
  1. To open NLB Manager, click Start, click Administrative Tools, and then click Network Load Balancing Manager. You can also open NLB Manager by typing Nlbmgr at a command prompt.

  2. In the File menu, click Load Host List.

  3. Navigate to and select your host list text file, and then click Open.