I211/I217-V Windows 10 LACP teaming fails

[FKurt]

Hello,

after the update to Windows 10 (x64, Build 10240) the creation of a teaming group (static or IEEE802.3ad) with a I211+I217-V NIC fails.

Drivers have been upgraded to the latest version available and multiple reinstallations with reboots din't help either. Whenever the group creation wizzard is used and a groupname (several tried), the adapters and LACP have been selected, a Windows pop-up appears to tell me group creation has failed.

However the Windows Device Manager shows a newly created "Intel Advanced Network Services Virtual Adapter", so some kind of configuration seems to get done.

Using Windows 7 SP1 x64 the exact same setup worked flawlessly for months, so Win10/the driver are the likely culprit.

Is anyone experiencing similar problems and/or is this a known bug? Feedback on this issue is greatly appreciated.

Thanks in advance!

Kind regards,

Famaku

[VInga]

So... Seriously... I got an email back from realtek with a ftp link to their driver. It APPEARS to be the same driver from their public site. However, the one on their public site does not work - but the FTP link does...

In all glory... here it is....

[VInga]

Confirmed working and passing traffic.... Just so you don't think I'm crazy.....

Intel - Time to step it up.

[TED]

Shocked (in a good way). Loved the heart you placed there love is all Realtek deserves for being so efficient.

[TED]

Hi

VinnieI wrote:

Confirmed working and passing traffic.... Just so you don't think I'm crazy.....

Intel - Time to step it up.

again, what is the specific card you are using there?

Cheers

[VInga]

@Tyler_ED See post # 159 on page 11.

[DDoc]

The solution is clearly not in Intel's hands and Carl is probably as upset as all of us. Teaming and advanced network features has been removed by Microsoft's policy and they're now restricting third-parties to add them back. We should really start a new thread on Microsoft's support forum and hope for a rollback...

[idata]

This comment (# 188, not sure why this post from today somehow got ordered way back there):

"The solution is clearly not in Intel's hands and Carl is probably as upset as all of us. Teaming and advanced network features has been removed by Microsoft's policy and they're now restricting third-parties to add them back. We should really start a new thread on Microsoft's support forum and hope for a rollback..."

is false.

Microsoft didn't remove anything. Client SKUs have never supported native LBFO. Only server SKUs have supported it. UI bugs gave the appearance it was working, but technically speaking it never was. Microsoft has since fixed that. Please review this post if you want to learn more:

[TED]

A feedback or another update would really be nice, since expectations were set. I see ppl waiting for this for more than a year now. I'm on this boat for a few weeks only and I just can't wait for something concrete.

[KB7]

How about rear end?

[VInga]

Maybe next week...

[EMark2]

This feature is used in my organization as well and functionality should be made available in Windows 10.

[NSant5]

"Want to sell" 12 NICs Intel. Accept trade for similar models from Realtek.

With all my respect for all Intel people here that tried to assist, this situation is becoming a joke from a brand as Intel that deserved always my respect.

[DCol]

Windows 10 Enterprise also does not support teaming. Don't think teaming will ever be in Windows 10 at this point since Redstone 2 is not working either.

I am giving Intel one more week, then switching to Realtek. Looks like the only option right now.

[idata]

Carl_Wilson,

Update please?

Joey

[CARL_W_Intel]

All,

The update that I received today is that teaming and VLAN re-enablement will not make it into the 21.1 driver release as we had hoped.

There are fundamental issues with miniport driver configuration/setup that will not allow for a successful configuration in certain circumstances. We are confident that our driver configuration is behaving properly, since the failures we are seeing in validation are OS specific in nature. The issue we are experiencing may or may not be seen by other vendors, depending on the thoroughness of their testing environments. However due to the nature of our extensive testing/validation - what we are seeing is more than likely not vendor specific since the failures are not related to anything we are doing in our driver code, but core networking stack functions.

We are continuing to provide assistance to Microsoft networking team to debug this issue. If there is a resolution that comes from Microsoft that allows us to re-enable the feature in our driver, we will release a point release so our customers can finally take advantage of these features again. My recommendation is for our customers to escalate to the Windows 10 support team as well.

Know that I share in your frustration on this issue. Thank you for your continued patience.

[idata]

I decided to use the contact support chat system built into Windows 10 to see if I could add to the customer numbers with this issue. I'm unsure as to how successful I was. Transcript below.

Geller C Hi, thanks for visiting Answer Desk! I'm Geller C.

01:53

Geller C

Hello there! I hope you're doing fine. May I have your name please so that I can address you properly?

01:53 Me Hello, I just discovered this chat thing. Exciting!

01:53

Me I'm Phillip Parr

01:53

Geller C That's good! I'm glad that you are able to avail our chat support here Philip. How may I help you today?

01:54

Me I'd like to make you aware of the situation regarding a feature currently missing from Intel networking cards, because of a suspected issue with Windows 10. This may already be on your list, but I'm adding my name to it.

01:56

Me /thread/77934?start=210&tstart=0 https://communities.intel.com/thread/77934?start=210&tstart=0

01:56

Geller C Oh okay I understand. No worries, this is something that we can definitely sort out here. May I have more details regarding the issue?, I mean is it about drivers or incompatibility with Windows 10?

01:57

Me According to the post from Intel, there seem to be issues in the core networking stack functions which are preventing them from providing teaming and VLAN support in their NIC products

01:59

Geller C I understand, Yes I was able to read on the thread Philip. Have you noticed this kind of issue as well on your device?

02:00

Me I'm actually waiting for a positive resolution to the issue before I purchase a product. I'm disinclined to spend £92.69 on a dual Gb network card only to find that link aggregation does not work...

02:01

Me The driver page for Intel adaptors currently specifically states: "Creating Intel ANS teams and VLANs on Windows® 10 is currently not supported." Source: https://downloadcenter.intel.com/download/25016/Intel-Network-Adapter-Driver-for-Windows-10?product=59679

02:03

Geller C I'm really sorry to know that you are having this kind of issue with the device. Since we just recently release the Windows 10 build which is the Anniversary update or the 1607 build some incompatibility issues would really be a problem in some cases. But its often rare to happen. But no worries, I'll make sure that this gets noted and will be forwarded to our developers.

02:06

</di...

[idata]

Carl_Wilson,

Ugh... Talk about the wind being taken out of the sails... Jeez.

Two questions:

Can you give us some context about just what it is that's failing your testing methods? It's my understanding that initial tests passed fine, but that Intel isn't comfortable re-enabling this feature unless teaming / VLAN tagging is stable across all possible test cases, and as it turns our your more exhaustive testing was not succeeding as hoped. If that's the case, it would be interesting to know exactly what is working and what isn't working in your test battery.

For my next question, I'm asking this with the full expectation that I won't get an answer, but here it goes anyway:

In your discussions with Microsoft, have they at any point said, point-blank, that the core networking stack features/code needed in order to fully support teaming and VLAN tagging were removed / disabled by design (as a number of people are surmising, based on a truck load of anecdotal evidence) or that they truly aren't sure what the problem is and are interested in working in good faith to try and resolve the issue?

We've gotten the gist that you guys are more than happy to engage / work with / provide data / etc to Microsoft to resolve this issue. But what I guess I'm not entirely clear on is the level of enthusiasm coming back your direction.

I said I fully expect you not to answer this because it might not necessarily be appropriate / good form for you guys to disclose the details of your conversations (as I assume you guys are bound, in some fashion, by NDAs as you share information back and forth).

But, freaking hell man... This just sucks. And from the outside it just seems like you guys are banging your head on this and maybe not getting a whole lot of attention or appreciation of priority back from the guys out in Redmond.

I'm a Windows Systems Admin in my professional life, and my company has Microsoft Premier hours we can use for technical questions, a Technical Account Manager at Microsoft we can pester, etc. Given the relative standstill it seems like we're at at this point, I'm seriously thinking I'm going to shoot my TAM an E-Mail with this thread and ask him to run it up the flag pole to see what he can find out.

This is nuts, feels like a "deliberate" decision to cripple Windows 10 because of some sort of ill-sighted business case, and it seems to me like if Microsoft truly is standing in the way they need to be pestered about it until they get they get the message that enterprise customers expect to be able to retain this flexibility in Windows 10 and beyond.

PS: Do you have any sort of internal case number that I can reference that I can pass along to my TAM as he looks into this issue?

[idata]

PS: If anyone wants to see one (of of probably many) parallel threads that is up on Microsoft's site, check it out here:

https://social.technet.microsoft.com/Forums/windows/en-US/66166918-5b67-4754-89e5-a2572b1888a2 NIC Teaming failed (Build 10568) Windows 10

[CLuce]

Here's the problem I'm having- the Intel ANS page still lists compatibility with all Windows OSes for which software is written, which is clearly not the case. It seems like a case of trying to sweep the problem under the rug and slow-walking support and issue updates.

This is NOT simply a Microsoft issue- Microsoft may play a role, but Intel is promising functionality which they clearly are unable to deliver. It's all well and good to speculate about the driver quality of your competitors; the simple fact is they have a working driver, Intel does not.

At best, Intel has a severe credibility issue. At worst, they have a severe competency issue. This does not create a good value proposition, especially considering the pricing on the cards which are still priced as if they are capable of delivering the features claimed.

[idata]

When I do a Google Search for "intel ans windows 10" the first download link (second link in the results) that comes up is this:

https://downloadcenter.intel.com/download/25016/Intel-Network-Adapter-Driver-for-Windows-10 Download Intel® Network Adapter Driver for Windows® 10

If you take the time to read, you'll notice right at the top of the page, it says the following:

"Creating Intel ANS teams and VLANs on Windows® 10 is currently not supported. As a result, when created, teams and VLANs do not pass traffic. We expect that ANS will be supported on Windows 10 client in a future release."

So... What exactly is your problem again? It looks pretty clear to me they are publicly stating the driver does not currently support teaming and VLANs on Windows 10 and they are working to try and change that. I simply don't see what is running counter to that statement that you are seeing here. But, by all means, please enlighten me.

But, really, let's just cut to the chase here. What would make you happy? No, seriously, what do you *really* want them to do that they aren't doing?

You don't seem to accept the fact that Microsoft has a significantly large stake in this issue (nor, even if they do, do you seem to particularly care). If you've been following this thread for sometime, as I have, you'll notice that even the mighty Realtek cards and their teaming software seem to be being blacklisted by Microsoft as updates continue to roll out. Is that just coincidence, you cool with just ignoring that (even though Intel clearly has no hand in that mess?. Are you over in the Microsoft forums, lighting them up as well? Or are you only interested in making Intel your sacrificial lamb?

Look dude, I'm just as annoyed as you are (well, okay, maybe not, but still plenty annoyed) but I'm also trying to at least at least push the conversation forward through my frustration. Not sure what your goal really is other than to just complain and make veiled threats (as evidenced by your previous comments).

PS: How's the lawsuit coming? You've filed, right? Let me know how it goes, I'd be curious to hear about the big settlement you win.

[CLuce]

Searching for 'Intel ANS' on google brings the following as the first result:

https://www-ssl.intel.com/content/www/us/en/support/network-and-i-o/ethernet-products/000006048.html Intel® Advanced Network Services (Intel® ANS)

Both links for Advanced functionality take you to detailed pages listing functionality available and limitations on all OSes... except those of Windows 10. Even on the link you provided, Intel states they expect the problem to be resolved soon, while clearly it hasn't been.

Intel has a large stake in delivering functionality they promise yet aren't delivering. Microsoft is allegedly playing a part, but since Microsoft is remaining silent, their involvement is speculation. This speculation has been mostly provided in this thread by a person/corporation slow-walking updates, software, and problem submissions. So yes, I feel pressuring Intel to deliver on their promised functionality is germane.

What would make me happy should be obvious- the functionality promised. Intel can always remove the feature set from their product specs and drop the price accordingly if they are unable to provide it.

The lawsuit was your idea, not mine. Please stop baiting on this issue.