KnowledgeBase Archive

An Archive of Early Microsoft KnowledgeBase Articles

View on GitHub

Q258469: Cluster Service May Not Start After Restricting IP Ports for RPC

Article: Q258469
Product(s): Microsoft Windows NT
Version(s): 2000,4.0
Operating System(s): 
Keyword(s): kbenv
Last Modified: 12-AUG-2002

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The information in this article applies to:

- Microsoft Windows NT Server, Enterprise Edition version 4.0 
- Microsoft Windows 2000 Advanced Server 
- Microsoft Windows 2000 Datacenter Server 
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------

IMPORTANT: This article contains information about modifying the registry. Before you 
modify the registry, make sure to back it up and make sure that you understand how to restore 
the registry if a problem occurs. For information about how to back up, restore, and edit the 
registry, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

  Q256986 Description of the Microsoft Windows Registry

SYMPTOMS
========

When you restrict the available Internet Protocol (IP) ports that are available
for remote procedure call (RPC) dynamic port allocation by adding the DCOM
Internet key in the HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\RPC registry key, the
Cluster service may not start or you may not be able to remotely connect to the
Cluster service by using Cluster Administrator. This problem typically occurs if
the Cluster nodes are seperated by a firewall. When the Cluster service on a
node starts, it first tries to contact one of the other nodes in the Cluster
through RPC.

CAUSE
=====

This behavior can occur when the range of available IP ports that the Cluster
service uses to initiate communication through RPCs is too small. The Cluster
service relies heavily on RPC to function properly. If there are not enough
ports available, the Cluster service cannot communicate.

RESOLUTION
==========

WARNING: If you use Registry Editor incorrectly, you may cause serious problems
that may require you to reinstall your operating system. Microsoft cannot
guarantee that you can solve problems that result from using Registry Editor
incorrectly. Use Registry Editor at your own risk.

To resolve this behavior, make a minimum of 20 ports available in the defined
range of available ports. For example, the following registry entry has 20 ports
available in the defined port range:

  HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\RPC

  Ports: REG_MULTI_SZ: 8011-8031
  PortsInternetAvailable: REG_SZ: Y
  UseInternetPorts: REG_SZ: Y

MORE INFORMATION
================

It is best to have 50-100 ports available, because many other services use DCOM
ports in the dynamic range (1025-65000, everything below 1025 is a pre-defined
port). Examples of other services that use dynamic ports include Domain Name
System (DNS), Windows Internet Naming Service (WINS), and Microsoft SQL Server.

REFERENCES
==========

For additional information, click the article number below to view the article
in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

  Q154596 Configuring RPC Dynamic Port Allocation to Work With Firewall

Additional query words: mscs com

======================================================================
Keywords          : kbenv 
Technology        : kbWinNTsearch kbWinNT400search kbwin2000AdvServ kbwin2000AdvServSearch kbwin2000DataServ kbwin2000DataServSearch kbWinNTSsearch kbWinNTSEntSearch kbWinNTSEnt400 kbWinNTS400search kbwin2000Search kbWinAdvServSearch kbWinDataServSearch
Version           : :2000,4.0
Issue type        : kbprb

=============================================================================

THE INFORMATION PROVIDED IN THE MICROSOFT KNOWLEDGE BASE IS PROVIDED "AS IS" WITHOUT WARRANTY OF ANY KIND. MICROSOFT DISCLAIMS ALL WARRANTIES, EITHER EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING THE WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY AND FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE. IN NO EVENT SHALL MICROSOFT CORPORATION OR ITS SUPPLIERS BE LIABLE FOR ANY DAMAGES WHATSOEVER INCLUDING DIRECT, INDIRECT, INCIDENTAL, CONSEQUENTIAL, LOSS OF BUSINESS PROFITS OR SPECIAL DAMAGES, EVEN IF MICROSOFT CORPORATION OR ITS SUPPLIERS HAVE BEEN ADVISED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGES. SOME STATES DO NOT ALLOW THE EXCLUSION OR LIMITATION OF LIABILITY FOR CONSEQUENTIAL OR INCIDENTAL DAMAGES SO THE FOREGOING LIMITATION MAY NOT APPLY.