HOW TO: Set Up and Allocate Bandwidth in ISA Server

This step-by-step article describes how to set up and allocate bandwidth using Internet Security and Acceleration (ISA) Server to create bandwidth rules and priorities.

Requirements

• ISA Server (Standard or Enterprise version)
• Windows 2000 Server (Standard or Advanced version)
• Windows 2000 Service Pack 1 (SP1) or later

Create a Bandwidth Rule Using the New Bandwidth Rule Wizard

Bandwidth rules are used to prioritize the requests that pass through the server that is running ISA Server. When you install ISA Server, the server is automatically configured with the default bandwidth rule. The default rule assures that communication that does not have an assigned bandwidth rule is allocated the minimum bandwidth assured by the Windows 2000 default scheduling. The default bandwidth rule is always last in order and cannot be modified or deleted. This task describes how to create a new bandwidth rule.

To create an new bandwidth rule:

1. Click Start, point to Programs, point to Microsoft ISA Server, and then click ISA Management.
2. In the console tree, click to expand the Servers and Arrays node.
3. Click to expand the node for the server that you want to configure.
4. Right-click Bandwidth Rules, click New, and then click Rule.
5. In the Bandwidth rule name box, type the name of the new bandwidth rule, and then click Next.
6. In the Protocols dialog box, click one of the following options under Apply this rule to, and then click Next:
   • All IP traffic
   • Selected protocols
   • All IP traffic except selected
   
   
7. In the Schedule dialog box, click one of the following options next to the Use this schedule box, and then click Next:
   • Always
   • Weekends
   • Work hours
   
   
8. In the Client Type dialog box, click one of the following options under Apply the rule to requests from, and then click Next:
   • Any request
   • Specific computers
   • Specific users and groups
   
   
9. In the Destination Sets dialog box, click either All content groups or Selected content groups under Apply this rule to, and then click Next.
   
   If you click Selected content groups, you must also enter the content groups to which you want the rule to apply.
10. In the Bandwidth Priority dialog box, click either Use default scheduling priority or Custom, and then click Next.
    
    If you click Custom, you must choose the bandwidth priority from the list provided. Until you create a new bandwidth priority, the only choice in the custom bandwidth priority list is the default bandwidth priority. For more information, refer to the "Create a New Bandwidth Priority" section.
11. Click Finish.

Create a New Bandwidth Priority

Bandwidth priorities define the priority level that is applied to connections that pass through a server that is running ISA Server. Network connections that do not have an assigned bandwidth priority have lower priority than connections that have assigned priorities. Network connections that have lower priorities have a lower chance of passing through the server than connections that have higher priorities.

To create a new bandwidth priority:

1. In the console tree of ISA Management, click to expand the Servers and Arrays node.
2. Click to expand the node for the server that you want to configure.
3. Click to expand the Policy Elements node.
4. Right-click Bandwidth Priorities, click New, and then click Bandwidth Priority.
5. In the Name box, type a name for the bandwidth priority.
6. In the Description box, type a description for the bandwidth priority (this step is optional).
7. In the Outbound bandwidth box, type a number between 1 and 200 (a priority of 1 is the lowest priority, 200 is the highest).
8. In the Inbound bandwidth box, type a number between 1 and 200.
9. Click OK.