4.8.9SLB Teams
SLB teams are the only teaming type not dependant on switch configuration. The server intermediate driver handles the load balancing and fault tolerance mechanisms with no assistance from the switch. These elements of SLB make it the only team type that maintains failover and fallback characteristics when team ports are connected directly to a hub.
SLB Team Connected to a Single Hub
SLB teams configured as shown in "• Team Connected to a Single Hub" (Jpg.146) maintain their fault tolerance properties. Either server connection could potentially fail, and network functionality is maintained. Clients could be connected directly to the hub, and fault tolerance would still be maintained; server performance, however, would be degraded.
• Team Connected to a Single Hub
Laptop
LAN
Desktop
Workstation Switch
Hub
NIC Team
Server
Generic and Dynamic Trunking (FEC/GEC/IEEE 802.3ad)
FEC/GEC and IEEE 802.3ad teams cannot be connected to any hub configuration. These team types must be connected to a switch that has also been configured for this team type.
Teaming with Microsoft NLB/WLBS
It is known that the SLB mode of teaming does not work in an NLB unicast environment. It is not known, however, why the SLB mode should not work in a NLB multicast environment. The SLB teaming algorithm is mutually exclusive with the NLB unicast mechanism.
