Final answer:
When needing more than 8 nodes in an NLB cluster, Microsoft suggests using a Hardware Load Balancer or multiple NLB clusters to ensure better performance and scalability.
Step-by-step explanation:
According to Microsoft's recommendations, when a Network Load Balancing (NLB) cluster requires more than 8 nodes, it is advised to consider alternative solutions like using a Hardware Load Balancer (HLB) or splitting the workload across multiple NLB clusters. This is because a single Microsoft NLB cluster is limited to 32 nodes, and performance can start to degrade after 8 nodes due to increased network traffic caused by the heartbeats between the servers in the cluster.
In scenarios where high availability and scalability are required beyond the capabilities of Microsoft NLB, using an HLB or setting up multiple NLB clusters can provide better performance and manageability. Additionally, when designing a load balancing solution for high-scale environments, careful capacity planning and potential use of other technologies like Global Server Load Balancing (GSLB) may be required.