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I have two Windows Servers (2012) connected to each other via a crossover LAN cable. On the SQL Server I installed a second network adaptor so I can also connect to a NAS device. I am now trying to access this NAS device from the Webserver through the SQL server. How do I route the traffic from the Webserver through the SQL server to access the NAS device?

user235054
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  • Why don't you just connect everything to a switch, the way normal people do? – joeqwerty Jul 29 '14 at 11:21
  • Unfortunately these servers are hosted at a datacentre and I would need to buy additional rackspace for the switch which I don't believe is really necessary. – user235054 Jul 29 '14 at 11:23
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    Walk up and down your colo and look carefully at the back of every other tenants' racks. Tell me what percentage of them have more than one server and don't have a switch. I'll bet it's 0% – MDMarra Jul 29 '14 at 11:40
  • Is this question really so difficult that no one will even attempt to answer it? – user235054 Jul 29 '14 at 11:49
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    @user235054 - It's not difficult at all. Rather, we're concerned that other people are going to come to the site, read question and answer, and think that anyone actually uses a Windows Server machine this way. Everybody uses switches as switches. – Evan Anderson Jul 29 '14 at 11:52
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    I've seen internal PCIe switches. That may be an option that doesn't require another U. – EEAA Jul 29 '14 at 11:53

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If you're not constrained by IP addresses just use the "Network Bridge" functionality to bridge the NICs on the server. This makes the NICs act as an Ethernet switch, and will put the NAS (connected to one NIC) in the same broadcast domain as whatever is connected to the other NIC.

As compared to using Routing and Remote Access Service bridging is somewhat easier since you don't need to worry about IP routing.

Evan Anderson
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  • Thanx Evan, that sounds like the simple type of solution that I would like to implement. Are there any downfalls / caveats when implementing this as a solution? – user235054 Jul 29 '14 at 12:02
  • @user235054, you would need to fix network configuration on the bridging server but AFAIR network bridge creation assistant takes care about that. – kworr Jul 29 '14 at 12:19
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Microsoft changed its wording for this feature again with MS Windows Server 2012. Now it's Routing and Remote Access Service (RRAS). You can read the full Technet reference here: http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/dn614140.aspx

Basically you need to do the following:

  1. Set up RRAS through Roles, you only need "Routing".
  2. Set up NAT through the administrative tools.

Step 2 is somewhat involved but the following link explains it nicely: http://www.windowsnetworking.com/articles-tutorials/windows-server-2008/Using-Windows-Server-NAT-Router.html It's for MS Windows Server 2008 but works for Version 2012, too. Just keep in mind that the role is now called RRAS.

Be aware, this is a low performance solution.

bjanssen
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