Cisco Cisco UCS C210 M1 General-Purpose Rack-Mount Server Livre blanc
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Configuring the VMware ESXi Network for StorMagic SvSAN
VSA Deployment
SvSAN uses three types of logical interfaces for traffic:
• Management: This interface is used for accessing the WebGUI, plug-in, or CLI. At least one management interface is
• Management: This interface is used for accessing the WebGUI, plug-in, or CLI. At least one management interface is
required.
• iSCSI: This interface listens for incoming connection requests from iSCSI initiators. At least one iSCSI is required.
• Mirror: This interface is used by VSA nodes to communicate data and metadata associated with mirrored volumes.
• Mirror: This interface is used by VSA nodes to communicate data and metadata associated with mirrored volumes.
StorMagic recommends the use of four or more physical NICs between hosts and VSAs to provide the recommended level of
redundancy and load balancing.
redundancy and load balancing.
Each Cisco UCS C240 M4 server has two 1-Gbps network ports and two 10-Gbps network ports. The test environment
reported in this document used four network ports along with a neutral storage host (NSH) running outside the VMware High
Availability (HA) cluster to prevent a split-brain scenario.
reported in this document used four network ports along with a neutral storage host (NSH) running outside the VMware High
Availability (HA) cluster to prevent a split-brain scenario.
The aim of this configuration is to eliminate the need for a physical switch on the iSCSI and mirror networks, allowing the use
of crossover cables by deploying three virtual (vSwitches). This configuration also splits the iSCSI and mirroring traffic onto
separate links. If the iSCSI network fails because of a cable pull or a faulty NIC, the mirror network is automatically used for
iSCSI traffic by the ESXi hosts. If the mirror network fails, mirroring traffic automatically goes through the iSCSI network to help
ensure that the mirrors stay synchronized. After the fault has been resolved, traffic automatically fails back. To achieve the
highest possible networking throughput, the VSAs can be configured to use jumbo frames.
of crossover cables by deploying three virtual (vSwitches). This configuration also splits the iSCSI and mirroring traffic onto
separate links. If the iSCSI network fails because of a cable pull or a faulty NIC, the mirror network is automatically used for
iSCSI traffic by the ESXi hosts. If the mirror network fails, mirroring traffic automatically goes through the iSCSI network to help
ensure that the mirrors stay synchronized. After the fault has been resolved, traffic automatically fails back. To achieve the
highest possible networking throughput, the VSAs can be configured to use jumbo frames.
Configure the vSwitches
Each host is configured with three vSwitches and configured as shown here.
vSwitch0 is composed of two 1-Gbps network adapters (teamed in ESXi) and used for ESXi, SvSAN, and virtual machine
management. The VSA uses vSwitch0 for management, administration, and monitoring purposes only. The NSH uses the
management network to monitor the SvSAN heartbeat. vSwitch1 uses one 10-Gbps network port and is used for vMotion,
SvSAN iSCSI, and mirror traffic. vSwitch2 also uses one 10-Gbps network port and is used for vMotion, SvSAN iSCSI, and
mirror traffic.
management. The VSA uses vSwitch0 for management, administration, and monitoring purposes only. The NSH uses the
management network to monitor the SvSAN heartbeat. vSwitch1 uses one 10-Gbps network port and is used for vMotion,
SvSAN iSCSI, and mirror traffic. vSwitch2 also uses one 10-Gbps network port and is used for vMotion, SvSAN iSCSI, and
mirror traffic.
vSwitch0
• VMkernel: Management network
• Virtual machine port group: Production virtual machines and SvSAN management
vSwitch1
• VMkernel: Port network: vMotion, iSCSI traffic
• Virtual machine port group: SvSAN iSCSI and mirror traffic
vSwitch2
• VMkernel: Port network; vMotion and iSCSI traffic
• Virtual machine port group: SvSAN iSCSI and mirror traffic