Windows Servers in LVS/DR and LVS/TUN Clusters

Introduction

In the Windows operating systems, ip addresses configured on the loopback interface will not participate the ARP protocol.

To use this feature, you need install Microsoft Loopback Adapter on your Windows systems.

1. Click Start, point to Settings, click Control Panel, and then double-click Add/Remove Hardware.
2. Click Add/Troubleshoot a device, and then click Next.
3. Click Add a new device, and then click Next.
4. Click No, I want to select the hardware from a list, and then click Next.
5. Click Network adapters, and then click Next.
6. In the Manufacturers box, click Microsoft.
7. In the Network Adapter box, click Microsoft Loopback Adapter, and then click Next.
8. Click Finish.

Disable ARP for VIP

In LVS/DR clusters, you can configure VIP on Microsoft Loopback Adapter in the Windows operating system.

The only trick is how to set netmask for VIP, because Windows do not allow to configure netmask 255.255.255.255 for VIP unless Windows registry is modified. When non-255.255.255.255 netmask is used, there is a network configured on Microsoft Loopback Adapter, this network should not route packet because it is not connected to any physical media. Usually, a much bigger netmask such as 10.0.0.0 is used, so that this loopback driver most likely will not be used while sending packets to VIP network.

References

• http://archive.linuxvirtualserver.org/html/lvs-users/2005-04/msg00130.html