VMware Communities: VI3 Network Diagram - your opinion/input please

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22 Replies Last post: May 15, 2009 12:45 PM by Razorhog

VI3 Network Diagram - your opinion/input please

May 15, 2009 8:13 AM

Razorhog 81 posts since
May 23, 2008

I am new to VMware Infrastructure, and have been working on this drawing for a while. Please take a look and let me know of anything that is wrong or could be improved.

Reply Re: VI3 Network Diagram - your opinion/input please May 15, 2009 8:26 AM

kjb007 5,476 posts since
Sep 18, 2006

Can you attach to the post, as opposed to another link?

-KjB
VMware vExpert

Reply Re: VI3 Network Diagram - your opinion/input please May 15, 2009 8:30 AM

in response to: kjb007

Razorhog 81 posts since
May 23, 2008

kjb007 wrote:Can you attach to the post, as opposed to another link?

-KjB
VMware vExpert

I thought the way I did it you could see it in the post. I'll attach to this post.

Attachments:

Advanced_VI3_Setup.jpg (79.8 K)

Reply Re: VI3 Network Diagram - your opinion/input please May 15, 2009 9:55 AM

in response to: Razorhog

kjb007 5,476 posts since
Sep 18, 2006

Looks familiar.

Your iSCSI connections are not redundant. Right now, if you lose either iSCSI switch, your connection from your server to storage dies. Your physical NICs should have a leg on each switch.

-KjB
VMware vExpert

Reply Re: VI3 Network Diagram - your opinion/input please May 15, 2009 10:03 AM

NWhiley 144 posts since
Jan 18, 2007

Are you using class B for VMotion?
I'd go C and keep all the VMotion in a small yet perfectly formed private network.

Reply Re: VI3 Network Diagram - your opinion/input please May 15, 2009 10:12 AM

in response to: NWhiley

azn2kew 2,940 posts since
Jun 21, 2006

I'm curious if this is a new design for iSCSI solution, are you using 1GBe or thought of using 10GBe, since you're definitely need it in the future for expansion/growth demands. Even though it costly but saves you to redesign your network a year from now!

If you found this information useful, please consider awarding points for "Correct" or "Helpful". Thanks!!!

Regards,

Stefan Nguyen
VMware vExpert 2009
iGeek Systems Inc.
VMware, Citrix, Microsoft Consultant

Reply Re: VI3 Network Diagram - your opinion/input please May 15, 2009 10:22 AM

in response to: kjb007

Razorhog 81 posts since
May 23, 2008

Thank you, I have that corrected now

kjb007 wrote:
Looks familiar.

Your iSCSI connections are not redundant. Right now, if you lose either iSCSI switch, your connection from your server to storage dies. Your physical NICs should have a leg on each switch.

-KjB
VMware vExpert

Reply Re: VI3 Network Diagram - your opinion/input please May 15, 2009 10:23 AM

in response to: NWhiley

Razorhog 81 posts since
May 23, 2008

NWhiley wrote:Are you using class B for VMotion?
I'd go C and keep all the VMotion in a small yet perfectly formed private network.

Good idea, I could go with 192.168.100.x 255.255.255.240 and that would give 14 to work with.

Reply Re: VI3 Network Diagram - your opinion/input please May 15, 2009 10:25 AM

in response to: azn2kew

Razorhog 81 posts since
May 23, 2008

azn2kew wrote:I'm curious if this is a new design for iSCSI solution, are you using 1GBe or thought of using 10GBe, since you're definitely need it in the future for expansion/growth demands. Even though it costly but saves you to redesign your network a year from now!

If you found this information useful, please consider awarding points for "Correct" or "Helpful". Thanks!!!

Regards,

Stefan Nguyen
VMware vExpert 2009
iGeek Systems Inc.
VMware, Citrix, Microsoft Consultant

Yes, it is a new implementation. Yes I will be using 1GBe. 10GBe is way too expensive for my budget.

Reply Re: VI3 Network Diagram - your opinion/input please May 15, 2009 10:27 AM

in response to: Razorhog

AndreTheGiant 5,643 posts since
Aug 28, 2008

Your iSCSI connections are not redundant. Right now, if you lose either
iSCSI switch, your connection from your server to storage dies. Your
physical NICs should have a leg on each switch.

True for some storage but NOT for Dell MD300i (it seem this storage), AXi, CX in iSCSI, ...

This kind of storage use the SAME fabric topology of FC, and use multipath for link/switch failover.

Andre
**if you found this or any other answer useful please consider allocating points for helpful or correct answers

Reply Re: VI3 Network Diagram - your opinion/input please May 15, 2009 10:30 AM

in response to: Razorhog

kjb007 5,476 posts since
Sep 18, 2006

Same for production. Is that one switch or two? Is there at least two blades within the switch you can connect to? If you have to use the same switch, then you should also leverage an ether channel (or trunk in HP speak) and use NIC teaming with ip hash load balancing policy.

-KjB
VMware vExpert

Reply Re: VI3 Network Diagram - your opinion/input please May 15, 2009 10:34 AM

in response to: AndreTheGiant

Razorhog 81 posts since
May 23, 2008

AndreTheGiant wrote:bq. Your iSCSI connections are not redundant. Right now, if you lose either
+ iSCSI switch, your connection from your server to storage dies. Your+
+ physical NICs should have a leg on each switch.+

True for some storage but NOT for Dell MD300i (it seem this storage), AXi, CX in iSCSI, ...

This kind of storage use the SAME fabric topology of FC, and use multipath for link/switch failover.

Andre
**if you found this or any other answer useful please consider allocating points for helpful or correct answers

You're right - the way the switches are connected to the MD3000i should allow for failover, even if both cables from each server are going to one switch.

Reply Re: VI3 Network Diagram - your opinion/input please May 15, 2009 11:21 AM

in response to: Razorhog

kjb007 5,476 posts since
Sep 18, 2006

The diagram has 2 nics for iSCSI, both going to one switch. Meaning, if the switch goes down, there is no storage on that server, unless we're talking wirelss networking.

-KjB
VMware vExpert

Reply Re: VI3 Network Diagram - your opinion/input please May 15, 2009 11:25 AM

in response to: Razorhog

kjb007 5,476 posts since
Sep 18, 2006

Typical FC SAN config would have one NIC to one fabric switch, and second NIC to second fabric switch. Both HBAs to one switch means storage loss to the server. It's nice to have the switches crossed to each storage device, but typically you would not do this in a SAN environment. One controller would have multiple PATHS from one switch, and the other controller would have multiple paths to a 2nd switch. You want to split your connections over the switches, and have the switches connecting directly to one controller or the other. In this case, if you lose a switch, you lose a path, but the server can get to the other storage controller. If you lose a NIC, then you have a 2nd nic to a 2nd switch. Both nics/hba's into one switch creates a single point of failure, the switch. Nothing to failover to here.

-KjB
VMware vExpert

Reply Re: VI3 Network Diagram - your opinion/input please May 15, 2009 11:31 AM

in response to: kjb007

Razorhog 81 posts since
May 23, 2008

kjb007 wrote:Same for production. Is that one switch or two? Is there at least two blades within the switch you can connect to? If you have to use the same switch, then you should also leverage an ether channel (or trunk in HP speak) and use NIC teaming with ip hash load balancing policy.

-KjB
VMware vExpert

Yes, there is only one switch for the production LAN. You lost me when you started talking about a trunk/NIC teaming...

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