How to Scale Microsoft Print Services Using WLBS

ID: Q222085

The information in this article applies to:
  • Microsoft Windows NT Server, Enterprise Edition version 4.0
  • Microsoft Windows NT Server version 4.0
  • Windows NT Load Balancing Service 1.0

SUMMARY

This article explains how to use the Windows NT Load Balancing Service (WLBS) to scale print services across the cluster.

Requirements

  • Printer shares to be accessed by clients are identically available on all cluster hosts.


  • Clients must be able to resolve the cluster's NetBIOS name to the cluster's virtual IP address (VIP) by using WINS or LMHOSTS. This name is the host name within the fully qualified domain name (FQDN) that is entered in the WLBS setup dialog box.


  • Use two network interface cards (NICs) on each cluster host. One NIC is for the dedicated IP address, and the other one is for the virtual IP address. Two NICs are needed because NBT binds only to the first IP address in a NIC, and WLBS needs the VIP listed first to provide NBT support (single NIC WLBS configurations require the dedicated IP address to be listed first to retain normal access to the cluster host with its dedicated IP address).


Configuring Port Rule

Create a port rule for port 139, TCP and UDP, with Multiple Hosts filtering mode and Single client affinity.

Accessing Cluster Printers

  1. Map a printer port to the cluster's printer by typing the following command at the command prompt:
    net use lptN: \\cluster\printer
    where N is the LPT port number you want to use and cluster is the cluster's NetBIOS name.


  2. Set up a local printer to use the mapped lptN port.



MORE INFORMATION

WLBS does not support browsing. This is why the cluster printers have to be accessed by mapping a printer port. The cluster's NetBIOS name does not appear in Network Neighborhood. The cluster hosts will not advertise the cluster's NetBIOS name, but they will answer requests made to it.

WLBS NBT support is enabled by default. This can be disabled by changing the NBTSupportEnable registry parameter from 1 to 0.

For additional information about how to modify this parameter, please see the following article(s) in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

Q193601 Registry Parameters for Windows NT Load Balancing Service

Additional query words: load balancing convoy

Keywords : kbnetwork kbprint
Version : winnt:1.0,4.0
Platform : winnt
Issue type : kbinfo


Last Reviewed: March 26, 1999
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