When it comes to SharePoint, it is not uncommon for most companies to use a single farm for sharing information amongst its users. While this makes installation convenient, it can severely slow down access as well as increase your vulnerability to risk.
In order to mitigate the negative effects, you can install multiple Web Front-end (WFE) servers and a Network Load Balancer (NLB) to distribute requests and increase reliability through redundancy. With these risk mitigation measures in place, if a WFE server fails, the NLB can distribute requests to other WFE servers.
In parts three and four of our new series on Network Load Balancing; we’re showing you how to install Network Load Balancing on a farm with three servers as follows:
- Server 1: MS SQL Server 2008 R2
- Server 2: Web Front End #1 (WFE1)
- Server 3: Web Front End #2 (WFE2)
Here in part four, we’ll start with installing Network Load Balancing on WFE2.
Before you begin, make sure that each server in the farm is using a static IP address. Do NOT use DHCP.
On WFE2, go to Administrative Tools and select Network Load Balancing Manager.
In Network Load Balancing Manager, right-click Network Load Balancing Clusters and select Connect to Existing.
In the Host text box, enter the Cluster IP Address which you used in part three and click Connect.
The Cluster name and Cluster IP will be displayed. Click Finish.
You will now see the server name of WFE1 listed under your Network Load Balancing Clusters. Highlight the existing cluster and right-click it. Select Add Host to Cluster.
Enter the WFE2 server name and click Connect.
In this example, we’ll be using the following server: chauo15wfe1
After you have successfully connected, the available Interface names and Interface IPs will be displayed. Select the Interface where you will be configuring the new cluster and click Next.
In the New Cluster: Host Parameters window, input the following:
- Priority drop-down menu: Select 2
- Default state drop-down menu: Select Started
Click Next.
Click Finish
In the Network Load Balancing Manager window, you will see the server names for WFE1 and WFE2 listed
Want to learn more about Network Load Balancing and how you can load balance Web traffic in order to increase the availability and reliability of your SharePoint solution? If so, check out the rest of our series:
- Part One: How to Display Network Load Balancing Manager in Windows Server 2008
- Part Two: How to Display Network Load Balancing Manager in Windows Server 2012
- Part Three: Installing Network Load Balancing on WFE1 in a Three-Server Farm
- Part Five: How to Disable the Loopback Checking Feature
- Part Six: How to Configure Alternate Access Mappings in SharePoint
- Part Seven: How to Run the Load Balancing URL on a Client Computer
- Part Eight: How to Verify that Load on Your Network is Being Correctly Balanced
