We are in the process of building a single instance
cluster on Win2K Advanced Server/SS2K Enterprise. Does
Microsoft support NIC Teaming for the heartbeat
connections in a single-instance cluster configuration?
If not, can 2 nics be dedicated to the heartbeat?

Nic teaming is not supported for the heartbeat.

258750 Recommended Private "Heartbeat" Configuration on a Cluster Server
http://support.microsoft.com/?id=258750

254101 Network Adapter Teaming and Server Clustering
http://support.microsoft.com/?id=254101

Thanks,

Kevin McDonnell
Microsoft Corporation

This posting is provided AS IS with no warranties, and confers no rights.

Just to go into a little more explanation, MS best practices recommends a
private heartbeat network, but you can configure more than one network for
private communications. That way, if the private network goes down, there
is still a communication path between the nodes. I believe the default
configuration is to have private communications on both the public and
private networks.

--
Geoff N. Hiten
Microsoft SQL Server MVP
Senior Database Administrator
Careerbuilder.com




"Kevin McDonnell [MSFT]" <kevmc (AT) online (DOT) microsoft.com> wrote

It's not the default per se when you use the W2K wizard
(things tend to default to both), but you should have one
private, and on the public, do both. Your reasoning is
right - in the event the private goes down, the heartbeat
traffic can go through the public.

BUt this also means both networks would need to be pathed
differently (i.e. different hub/switch/router) to ensure
that your network is not a single point of failure.

True about the multiple paths needint different network gear. However the
vast majority of clusters are two-node and can use a crossover cable which
has a very high MTBF.

--
Geoff N. Hiten
Microsoft SQL Server MVP
Senior Database Administrator
Careerbuilder.com



"Allan Hirt" <allanh (AT) NOSPAMavanade (DOT) com> wrote

Thanks everyone for the information...very helpful