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If it is required that a network connection is "redundant" on the layer 2 level - does that mean I need to use the "teaming" feature of certain network adapters (provided by special drivers for certain intel adapters for example)?

Do I get this right: With this "teaming", both network adapters operate on the same ip address, if one cable fails the connection will stay alive using the second cable? Client software does not notice anything of that, it only sees one ip address?

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You are correct. The teaming feature of for example Intel or Broadcom NICs is what you want. Be careful to only use ALB or active-passive features if your network hardware (switches, routers) can't use the more advanced configurations or you don't need them.

Some overview can be found on Wikipedia, Link aggregation.

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Properly configured teaming adds redundancy on all OSI layers. Driver just makes two adapters look like one. They both operate using same IP, and this IP address resides on a virtual adapted, comprising two physical.

Yes, loss of cable connection leads to link-down event on the port and teaming is able to detect this and use still connected adapter. Actually, it's aimed on this. Drivers even can provide several ways of link vitality monitoring, like mii or arp. Not sure about windows though, but, as it's network stack is a derivative of UNIX one, with some "improvements", I'm sure that the essentails stay the same.

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