Teaming NIC PRO 1000/MT in windows Server 2008 R2

BRaif · ‎09-11-2009

The Intel PRO 1000/MT has (today ?) no "full support" in Windows Server 2008 R2 ; that is : each NIC est recognized by OS and functionnal, but we can't built a team, because Intel Advanced Network Software (ANS) is not available.

More, on my DELL PowerEdge 2850 (with 4 PRO 1000/MT), no PCI-express slot, then i can't install more recent NIC which has full support (like 1000/PT).

A server hardware with server software and with server NICs but no server teaming functionality ?

Does it means I have to replace all my Intel NIC with Broadcom NIC which has teaming support in 2008 R2 ?

Thanks for your help

Edward_Z_Intel · ‎09-13-2009

Did you try the latest NIC driver? http://downloadcenter.intel.com/Detail_Desc.aspx?agr=Y&DwnldID=17910&ProdId=2248&lang=eng

BRaif · ‎09-14-2009

Yes, of course.

But as you can see in doc, the PRO 1000/MT (model with PCI or PCI-X bus) is not supported (the 1000/PT, with PCI-express bus, is)

I verified that.

Anyway, thanks for your help

Mark_H_Intel · ‎09-14-2009

Unfortunately the http://www.intel.com/support/network/adapter/1000mtserver/index.htm Intel® PRO/1000 MT Server Adapter will not be supported for initiating ANS teaming in Windows* 2008 R2. You can only team this adapter in a team that is initiated from an adapter that does have support for ANS teaming. See http://www.intel.com/support/network/sb/CS-030614.htm Is my Intel® Ethernet Adapter supported in Microsoft Windows Server 2008 R2*? for related information.

Since ANS teaming in Windows 2008 R2 is supported in the http://www.intel.com/network/connectivity/products/server_adapters.htm# s1=Gigabit%20Ethernet&s2=all&s3=PCI%20Express* PCI-Express* based adapters, if you have a PCI-Express* slot you could install one of those adapters for teaming, and you could include your older ports in the team.

BRaif · ‎09-15-2009

Thanks for your response

But as you can see in my original post, my server hardware (Poweredge 2850, 2/3 years old) has no PCI-express slot.

So the question could be :

- will Intel release ANS software for 1000/MT in 2008R2 ?

- or should I change the NICs for another brand, like Broadcom, which has support

I don't understand why Intel will not support such current server config ...

Are the PRO1000/MT considered as obsolete (why is it sold then ?)

What is the strategy ?

Thanks for your job

BRaif · ‎09-30-2009

Hello

Nothing new about my problem ?

Digest :

- Windows Server 2008 R2

- several Intel Pro 1000/MT single or dual ports

- those NICshave "in-box" only support ; each works fine with microsoft in-box driver

- need to make a team as I did with Windows Server 2003R2

- because of no "full-support", I can't install Intel ANS

- no PCI-Express slot on motherboard (then no xx/PT card possible to initiate a team)

What can i do ?

Thanks for your response

Mark_H_Intel · ‎09-30-2009

Sorry for not answering sooner. Unfortunately, Intel has no plans to add teaming support for your adapters in Windows Server 2008 R2.Teaming is only supported in Windows Server 2008 and earlier for your adapters. There is nothing you can do to make teaming work with your adapters in Windows Server 2008 R2 with your server hardware. No Intel Ethernet adapters for PCI-x slots have teaming support for Windows Server 2008 R2.

From you earlier postings I understand your servers are only 2 to 3 years old. You might not have not given much thought to upgrading your server hardware, because the hardware is fairly new. But you might want to estimate the cost of keeping your old servers and buying new NICs compared to buying new servers with up-to-date technology. This kind of analysis is outside of my area of expertise, but I know our IT department calculated a big savings for Intel by upgrading to new servers versus keeping the old servers. The IT@ Intel site, http://www.intel.com/it/ http://www.intel.com/it/ has resources for explaining the reasons behind our upgrade decision including video (scroll down to the latest content) and a http://download.intel.com/it/pdf/Staying_Committed_to_Server_Refresh_FINAL.pdf whitepaper. A link to a savings estimator tool is included in the whitepaper.

As far as what NICs you can buy for your existing servers, I do not have any recommendations.

idata · ‎12-17-2009

Yes you CAN team Pro 1000 MT adapters. There is just a trick.

Download latest PROVISTAX64.exe & PROWIN7X64.exe from intel

Extract contents of both to separate directories.

Go to device manager and update drivers and select browse and point to the folder you had PROVISTAX64 extracted to (make sure seach subfolders is on) and the drivers will be updated.

Then go to the PROWIN7X64 directory/apps/prosetdx/win7_x64/ and run prosetdx.msi

Teaming will now be available. After you create a team allow it a minute to initialize before you assign a static IP.

Works great.

idata · ‎04-19-2011

Thank You for this meathod. I have been trying to do this with my Dell Poweredge 2850 for months, now have a 6GB/s link

And on my Acer G330 Mk2 aswell (2GB/s Link )

Great tutorial, just wanted to say thanks,

idata · ‎05-11-2010

SOLUTION FOUND

1. Download the Intel Networking solutions CD v15.3 from here: http://downloadcenter.intel.com/Detail_Desc.aspx?agr=Y&ProdId=879&DwnldID=19002&lang=eng http://downloadcenter.intel.com/Detail_Desc.aspx?agr=Y&ProdId=879&DwnldID=19002&lang=eng

2. Extract the files

3. Use device manager to update the drivers for the Intel Pro1000 MT NICs. I had to do each independently.

4. You can now run the ProSet install from V15.3_CD\APPS\PROSETDX\Winx64\ProSetDX.msi and it will succeed.

5. You will now see the TABS for Teaming etc in the properties of the NIC via Device Manager.

idata · ‎03-28-2011

You sir, are VERY much appreciated tonight. Thank you.

idata · ‎05-23-2011

You are a genious. The version numbers have changed, but everything worked exactly as anticipated.

pro*.exe /f /e

This will get the files extracted to where you need them.

Updated each adapter individually - If I remember, the changes I saw for the driver went from MS driver to Intel, the version number went down, but the release date was newer...not that it matters to me as long as it works and is stable.

Ran the ProSetDX.msi.

Thank you for your awesome post on how to get this going. I thought we'd not be allowed to roll any of our servers forward because of the loss of the teaming capability!!!

TMans1 · ‎08-19-2011

That CD doesn't exist on Intel's site anymore (shame on you Intel ).

After much searching I was able to find it at the link below. The files are clean and I was able to update the my drivers and team the NICS on R2. Sweet success!

http://www.lostmydrivers.com/driver/download/25242/Intel/Network-Drivers/INTEL-PRO-1000-MT-DRIVER-15.3-WINDOWS-XP-32-64-2003-32-64-VISTA-32-64-7-32-64-WINDOWS-VISTA-WIN20. http://www.lostmydrivers.com/driver/download/25242/Intel/Network-Drivers/INTEL-PRO-1000-MT-DRIVER-15.3-WINDOWS-XP-32-64-2003-32-64-VISTA-32-64-7-32-64-WINDOWS-VISTA-WIN20.

MGall10 · ‎03-05-2015

Thank you for this solution. Everything worked except I had to do a different step to install it. When I tried installing using the "ProSetDX.msi" I was getting permission issues and the GUI was a little messed up. Instead, I used the "DxSetup.exe", located in the same folder, and it worked perfectly. I'm running Server 2008 R2 Enterprise on a Dell PowerEdge 1850 with two integrated IntelPRO 1000MT NIC's.