creating Windows Service Profile template inquiry

[russ.givens]

I've solely used UCS for ESXi so far and has worked great.  I'm setting up a Windows machine now and was putting together a service profile template for Windows.  I was wondering what option is better for a vNIC template or if there is any advantages / disadvantages.

1)  Configure a vNIC Template that uses Fabric A and enable failover and put one vNIC in the Service Profile Template

OR

2)  Configure two vCNIC templates, one for each Fabic, without failover and put both vNIC's in the Service Profile Template.  Then when windows in installed team the nics.

Is there any difference between the two.  They should both provide the same level of redundancy correct?  I was just going to use option 1.  If I'm applying a firmware update to a fabric interconnect and I'm using option 1 there won't be an issue as it should failover to the other fabric correct? 

Thanks for the help.

[Jeremy Waldrop · Accepted solution]

Hey Russ, I usually recommend option 1 so that you don't have to deal with teaming software in Windows. Here is a blog post I did on the subject a while back - http://jeremywaldrop.wordpress.com/2010/03/18/cisco-ucs-vnic-failover/

[russ.givens]

Thanks for taking the time to answer.  That's what I was looking for.