Configuring Cisco NIC Teaming on UCS B200-M3

Posted on May 7, 2015 Updated on April 14, 2026

For Windows-based Cisco UCS B-Series blades, native teaming is often handled via the Cisco-specific driver contained in the UCS Windows Utilities ISO. Here is how to install and manage teams via the Command Line Interface (CLI).

Prerequisites

1. Download the Windows Utilities ISO from Cisco.com.
2. Choose either the B-Series Blade or C-Series Rack-Mount software bundle.
3. Ensure you have Administrator privileges on the Windows target.

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Phase 1: Installing the NIC Teaming Driver

The driver is installed using the enictool. You must point it to the directory containing the .inf files from the ISO.

1. Open Command Prompt as Administrator.
2. Run the following command:DOSenictool -p "C:\path\to\drivers" Example: C:\> enictool -p "c:\temp"

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Phase 2: Creating and Configuring the Team

Once the driver is active, you can group your logical interfaces into a team.

1. Identify your connections: Use ipconfig or ncpa.cpl to find the exact names (e.g., “Local Area Connection”).
2. Create the Team:DOSenictool -c "Connection 1" "Connection 2" -m [mode]

Mode Reference Table

Mode ID	Description	Best Use Case
1	Active-Backup	Basic redundancy; one link stays idle.
2	Active-Backup (Failback)	Redundancy; always reverts to the primary link when healthy.
3	Active-Active	Transmit Load Balancing; uses both links for outgoing traffic.
4	802.3ad LACP	Link Aggregation; requires specific configuration on the Fabric Interconnect/Switch.

Example (Active-Backup):

C:\> enictool -c "Local Area Connection" "Local Area Connection 2" -m 1

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Phase 3: Management Commands

• To Delete a Team:C:\> enictool -d "Local Area Connection" "Local Area Connection 2"
• To View All Options:C:\> enictool /?(Use this to fine-tune Load Balancing hash methods and advanced failover settings.)

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