Teaming modes that do not require a switch with the same capabilities (AFT, ALB) use a primary adapter. The Preferred Primary adapter transmits and receives traffic as long as it has an active status. In all of these modes, the primary is the only adapter that receives traffic.
If the primary adapter fails, another adapter will take over its duties. If you are using more than two adapters, and you want a specific adapter to take over if the primary fails, you must specify a secondary adapter.
There are two types of primary and secondary adapters:
Preferred Primary/Secondary adapters (set manually): You can specify a preferred adapter in Intel PROSet. A preferred adapter will then handle that role anytime it is functioning normally, it will receive failback of traffic. For example, if the Preferred Primary adapter fails but is later restored to an active status, control automatically passes back to the Preferred Primary adapter.
Default primary adapter (set automatically by Intel® PROSet) -- ALB+RLB mode only: If you do not specify a preferred primary adapter, the software will choose an adapter of the highest capability (model and speed) to act as the default primary. After a failover to another adapter and then a correction of the problem, the traffic will not automatically fail back to the default primary adapter in most modes. The adapter will, however, rejoin the team.
To specify a preferred primary or secondary adapter:
In the Network Component Tree, right-click a Teamed Adapter Listing.
Click Preferred Primary or Preferred Secondary on the menu that appears.
Click Apply or OK to set.
The adapter's preferred setting appears in the Priority column on Intel PROSet's Team Configuration tab. Where appropriate, the adapter is identified as "Preferred Primary" or "Preferred Secondary".
To change adapter priority status:
Using the same procedure listed above, you can also change the priority of an adapter.
NOTE: The Preferred Secondary option is not available until you have specified a Preferred Primary.