Error: Rule "Network binding order" generated a warning. The domain network is not the first bound network.

I came across the following error message during the cluster validation stage of setting up SQL Server 2012:

The domain network is not the first bound network. This will cause domain operations to run slowly and can cause timeouts that result in failures. Use the Windows network advanced configuration to change the binding order.

To ensure the domain network is the first bound network we should firstly identify what order they are in by going to Control Panel >> Network Connections > Press alt (to display the menu bar) and select "Advanced" >> "Advanced Settings" >> Use the up (in Connections) arrow to ensure that the connection that services the domain network is at the top.

We should also ensure that the "Microsoft Failover Cluster Virtual Adapter" is also at the top - for this though you will have to do some registry editing! (As it is a hidden adapter.) So we shall firstly identify its device ID either from the device manager (Device Manager >> View >> Show Hidden Devices >> Network Adapters) or using wmic (as this will work in 2008 R2 as well!):

wmic nicconfig get description, SettingID

Then we go to the following registry key and ensure that the device ID of the Microsoft Failover Cluster Virtual Adapter is right at the top:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\services\Tcpip\Linkage\Bind

The preceeding MUST be performed on BOTH (or all) servers in the cluster!

Finally restart servers re-run the validation checks!