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

[SVanc3]

Gil, just FYI, I tried this (with both the first version of the v20 drivers for Win10 x64, and with the v19 drivers for Win8.1) and while it restores the Teaming/VLAN tabs, teaming the adapters does not work.

[GVell]

Thanks for the info Sebvance, you saved me a lot of useless tests.

[SVanc3]

Can it be February yet?

[JBayn2]

+1 Is there some type of beta or something we can grab?

[MAnde19]

@Carl_Wilson

I know it isn't February yet, but any updates, maybe a rough day or week in February we can expect the driver?

Can't wait to get Vlans back.

TIA

Mike

[JBayn2]

I sent a PM to Carl and he responded that it was looking like a Feb 2-5th release. I'm hoping we'll see it soon.

[MAnde19]

Thanks for that. I'm excited...

[idata]

I'll be taking a full Veeam Endpoint Backup before I install any of these new drivers just in case it all goes to crap and toasts the networking stack... I'm not overly confident in MS's ability to fix their issues that led to this mess.

[MSava3]

Having a backup is always a wise thing but c'mon be a little more positive, Intel and MS know how to fix things... is more if they want to

@ jwbaynham

thanks for the update... looking forward for it...

[idata]

The trust issue isn't with Intel... :-)

[TLawr]

@carl_wilson, any update on release date for V22 driver with vlan support? Thanks!

[CARL_W_Intel]

Real-time update: I just checked with the release team for the v22 driver package (which contains are full driver suite for all our products). We are still in the process of collecting the necessary driver signing files for a few of the components before we can finish creating the web-packs that can be posted to the driver download center. These are not related to the Windows 10 changes, which are already complete. Based on the current status, it looks like by next Friday the 17th. I'm made the request to prioritize these to get posted as fast as possible.

[SVanc3]

I'm just as eager as everyone else to get v22 of the driver, as I've been missing this feature for 12+ months, BUT I just want to take a minute to thank you Carl for your continued assistance and updates despite some of the abuse hurled at you. I also work in support/community management for a technology company and I know what it is like when something breaks and everybody wants an ETA on the fix -- especially when it's not 100% within my own company's control -- of course we want to deliver the fix as quickly as possible but these things take time.

I hope other affected customers like me will keep in mind that any driver release needs to be FULLY vetted. This is getting deployed to who knows how many end customers worldwide after all. It's not as simple as setting $vlanAndTeamingSupport = TRUE

Also keep in mind that it's Microsoft's fault this broke in the first place, not Intel's. Nonetheless,

1. Intel worked with Microsoft to understand the nature of the issue
2. Intel explained to Microsoft the importance of the fix
3. Now that MS has done their part, Intel is releasing a QAd, vetted driver fix within several weeks.

That's pretty good, y'all.

[MSava3]

Carl,Thank you for your effort and keeping us posted!

Really!

[dwerg]

Any update

[JBayn2]

I'm hoping we see it this week.

Carl_Wilson

I checked on this again this week and the v22.0 is due to drop on the Intel support website during the week of February 5-11.

[ALias]

I'm glad I opted to migrate relevant desktop machines to Linux in December last year. I'm not saying a solution will not be offered this month, but I'm a little bit skeptical at this point.

Unlike some of the latest commenting people, I don't really blame Intel, although their feedback on the matter is extremely lacking. Poor at best (not particularly aimed at you Carl). Microsoft dropped the ball and killed something that worked just fine in Windows 10. Intel didn't do that. People should get their heads out of their sitting areas and do some research on the topic. It's a shame though, I really do like Windows 10 but trust in Microsoft dropped massively.

Moving the 80+ desktops to Linux means dropping Windows, but it also meant dropping MS Office and subsequently moving a few servers to Linux as well. I have no idea what Microsoft was expecting but their way of dealing with matters like these is quite horrible. I used to love their customer support (especially on SLA levels), but something has gone horribly wrong over the past five years. I sincerely hope they'll review and reverse their current approach. It may be working for most consumers, but it's pure hell for businesses.

[dwerg]

Does linux have the ability to team the NICs

[CARL_W_Intel]

Yes. Its built into the OS.

[DCol]

The ANS miniport driver is what does not work in the preview release. I get an error in event viewer stating the ANSminiport driver cannot bind to the physical adapter.

So whatever MS did to "patch" the OS, they undid in the preview releases. What a clusterf%$k this all turned out to be.

Personally I went to the preview release because of all the issues with build 14393. Those issues are resolved in the current preview build.

So Carl_Wilson, if only build 14393 works, then why doesn't your software disable teaming for all builds other than 14393. I guess you don't check for the patch, just the build number.

So what, now we wait until the next anniversary update this summer?.

[idata]

The miss-information happening here is staggering, I think my head might explode.

I have been following this thread for over 6-months and unlike some of the folks posting here in the past few days, I have actually done my research as to what is going on.

So, let's set the record straight. Feel free to disagree without doing your own research, because, hey, nothing makes you look more intelligent than running your mouth about something you clearly have no idea what is going on:

- Microsoft has *never* (never) supported native (i.e., built into the OS) Load Balancing and Fail Over (LBFO, commonly referred to as "NIC Teaming") on "client OS SKUs". That includes Windows 7, Windows 8/8.1, and Windows 10. Windows Server SKUs have and continue to support native LBFO using a PowerShell command to built a NIC Team (i.e., New-NetLbfoTeam).

- There was a bug in the RTM build of Windows 10 that gave the *illusion* that native LBFO (using the PowerShell command) was available.

- In the Windows 10 RTM build you could create a NIC Team and everything looked like it was working. The fact of the matter is if you actually packet capture traffic, it would only traverse a single NIC in the Team.

- The reason why is because client SKUs don't include the required libraries needed for the NIC Team to function. Those are only included in Server OS SKUs. Microsoft corrected this bug by disabling the LBFO PowerShell command in subsequent OS builds (starting in November 2015; the "Threshold 2" release). This bug has created a metric ton of confusion because people thought they had a working Team using the LBFO PowerShell command and then "big bad Microsoft took it away". You never had a working Team in Windows 10, you had the illusion of a working Team. Period.

- Intel has historically provided third-party Teaming and VLAN functionality via ANS. The ANS package, complete with Teaming and VLANing, is fully compatible with Windows 7 and Windows 8/8.1. The Intel utility is NOT simply a "front end" for the PowerShell command.

- Microsoft made some fundamental changes to the network stack within Windows 10 that rendered the Intel ANS utility unstable when it came to enabling Teaming or VLAN support. Therefore, Intel's recent releases of ANS have disabled Teaming and VLAN support for Windows 10.

- Early on, Intel was able to work with Microsoft to try and troubleshoot those issues. Six or so months ago (+/-) it seemed as if traction was being made and Intel ANS-based Teaming and VLANing was going to be coming back. But ultimately during testing Intel determined that it wasn't stable enough to release a ANS with Teaming and VLAN support enabled at the time.

- There were serious issues that occurred in about 10-15% (+/-) of test cases where the only recovery method involved a full reinstall of the OS. Intel was not willing to release a copy of ANS with Teaming and VLAN support until this issue was resolved. Imagine the flack they would have gotten if they had and 10-15% of customers had to reinstall their OS.

- Upon further work with Microsoft, it was determined that a patch from Microsoft was needed to resolve this issue. Microsoft built a patch and included it into the code base for the next big Windows 10 release, Redstone 2, that is scheduled to occur sometime later this year (last I heard, May or June but that may have shifted, haven't kept up to date).

- Intel pressed Microsoft to backport that fix into a patch for existing Windows 10 builds (i.e., "Redstone 1" the so-called "Anniversary Update" released August 2nd, 2016). Microsoft ultimately agreed and it was included in a patch that came out in December 2016's patch Tuesday batch.

- Intel tested and confirmed that the specific patch from December 2016 did allow ANS's Teaming and VLAN features to operate properly. Intel then committed to re-enabling Teaming and VLAN support in the next ANS release scheduled for this month (February 2017).

So, that's the story as I recall it following this thread with Intel, speaking with Carl Wilson directly, as well as engaging in my own personal case with Microsoft (I am a Microsoft EA customer and have Premier Support hours that I burned in order to engage directly with Microsoft to dig into this issue).

The above notes are not just "what I think" they are what I have spent hours upon hours to uncover over the last 6+ months by going directly to the sources at both Intel and Microsoft with respect to this issue.

So if you want to continue to espouse conspiracy theories or bash Intel because you are annoyed, knock yourselves out. If you want to call me a fan boy or an idiot or whatever else, go for it.

But while you do, at least you'll know in the back of your mind what *actually* has transpired. Accepting it or not is now up to you.

(Edited to fix my confusion between "Threshold" and "Redstone")