Let's clear the air here on a few things, as having been someone who has had a bit more knowledge than the average user on this.
As far as my credentials (so to speak) on this issue, I have Microsoft Premier account through work and actually went so far as to log a support ticket that got me more direct responses from "the horses mouth" as to what's going on from Microsoft's
side. I also have spoken directly with Carl Wilson, the program manager at Intel who oversees the Intel ANS software. So, to be clear, I don't work for either Intel or MS, but have taken the initiative to have as low-level conversations with them as I can.
Here is the summation of what I've found:
- To be clear, Microsoft has *never* officially supported the use of the New-NetLbfoTeam command on non-server OSes. This command *never* worked in Windows 7, Windows 8/8.1, nor Windows 10. There
was a brief time when it appeared to work in early builds of Windows 10, but when Microsoft was pressed on this point issue they admitted that there was (their words) "a bug" in early builds of Windows 10 (prior to build 1511, if memory serves) where
the command would in fact return without error... but... if you ran a packet trace you'd find that the team was not actually functional. So, there was a brief period between Windows 10 RTM and built 1511 where there was a surface-level "appearance"
of a team being built via the New-NetLbfoTeam command, but
it was *NEVER* actually built, nor was it ever actually functional.
- Intel has offered third-party support for LBFO and VLAN support via it's ANS software for some time. The Intel ANS software has worked with Windows 7, Windows 8/8.1, and continues to work with Windows
10 (wait for it...). On Windows 7, Windows 8/8.1 that software is feature-complete, fully functional. On Windows 10, however, Intel has found that due to underlying code changes to the core networking stack within Windows 10, they were forced to disable all
LBFO and VLAN features within their driver due to instability issues. These instability issues are inconsistant (i.e., not 100%) but for obvious reasons, Intel didn't want to release a product that causes other issues. One of the issues Intel identified is
that when a failure does occur as a result of ANS with LBFO / VLAN features enabled, on Windows 10, the only recourse is a full OS reinstall to recover. That's disasterous enough that Intel wasn't willing to release the feature-set, on a wide scale, and have
hundreds or thousands of customers unknowingly bricking their machines as a result of simply installing / running Intel ANS. That's a crappy situation, but in my view it's the right call for Intel to make, given the tough circumstances.
- Intel has had an open dialog with Microsoft on this issue (Microsoft provides "developer support" for third-party developer partners, like Intel, where they will assist in troubleshooting issues found with the Microsoft OS as a result of third-party
app development, like Intel ANS). Microsoft has apparently been able to resolve these issues, based on Intel's latest tests, but those fixes aren't scheduled to be included in Windows 10 until the "Redstone 2" release (last I heard, sometime in late
Q1 or Q2 of 2017).
- Intel's Carl Wilson, who comments on this from time to time on the Intel Forum (https://communities.intel.com/thread/77934?start=270&tstart=0) was going to see if Microsoft would be willing to back-port these fixes into a patch roll-up between now and
the release of Windows 10 / Redstone 2. So far, we've not heard back on that (it's been a bit more than a month).
So, to recap: It's unfair to say that Microsoft supported native (i.e., built-into-the-OS) LBFO on Windows 7/8/8.1, so therefore it should be supported on Windows 10 as well. They never did. Third party utilities, such as Intel ANS, Realtek, etc, had ways
to make this work on client OSes. Microsoft made things a bit more confusing by given the "appearance" that the command was suddenly supported on a non-Server SKU in early Windows 10 builds, but it never actually worked. Furthermore, Microsoft also
made underlying networking stack changes that broke Intel's ability to support the feature via their third-party ANS software. After this was discovered (many months ago) Intel has been working with Microsoft on this issue and between the two of them have
gotten a fix that *should* be released with Windows 10 Redstone 2. Intel would like it back-ported, but it's unclear if that will or won't happen (Microsoft's choice on if they will or won't do that).
Has this issue taken way longer than any of us would want to have fixed: Yes. Is there any clear indication at this point in time if this will be fixed anytime soon (i.e., weeks or months): No.
PS: All that is left for Intel it seems is to make a small tweak (what they refer to as a "point release") to their ANS Software to enable LBFO / VLAN support as soon as Microsoft releases Redstone 2 (or, presumably, if Microsoft back-ports a patch
to existing Windows 10 builds).
Anyway, I hope that helps fill in the gaps and clear out some of the FUD out there.
Adam (ARUDELL with MSFT),
Please feel free to correct anything I miss-stated. Also feel free to give us an update on if Microsoft is going to back-port the fix that Intel said you guys came up with in RS2, back to the current Windows 10 builds out right now.
Joey
NIC Teaming failed (Build 10568) Windows 10
