M1000e and Equallogic SAN Configuration

Since this is a user to user forum, I don’t think anyone here can give you the “exact” setup instructions you are looking for, simply because there are many variables to consider.

Regarding he EqualLogic arrays, the Configuration Guide is a good place to start.  (en.community.dell.com/.../2639.equallogic-configuration-guide.aspx)

Also review the 6000XV’s Hardware setup manual (located on the EqualLogic support site, login to the site: support.equallogic.com, then go to Resources> Documentation).  You can review the basic setup for connecting the array to the network.

Again, with regards to the Array, typically a separate VLAN is created (for example VLAN-SAN or whatever you care to call it) that is isolated just for iSCSI traffic, with flow-control and jumbo enabled.

Also, the 5224 switches are not on the “EqualLogic Validated Components” list located here: en.community.dell.com/.../2661.equallogic-validated-components.aspx, so you shouldn’t use them for the iSCSI SAN Network, but they can be used for your LAN traffic.

Also on the support site, is a section called Tech Reports, that has some useful Network performance information.

-joe

Hi Joe,

Thanks for your valuable comments. I really dont expect an exact solution from my primary question, I agree your comment that many variables to be considered here. The point you mentioned, which the 5224 is not ideal for iscsi connection but good for my lan traffic, is a good point that i can consider. I would like to know the cabling design with the components (mentioned in the question) those i have. I had really gone through some equallogic documentation but somewhere i  confused. Please suggest me, Do i need a separate iscsi switch to connect my EQL connections and blade server LOM connections besides my 5224 switch? if required, what model is suitable from dell product line?

I appreciate your help and support

Best regards

I would suggest a pair of 7024, and you really need to read the configuration guide, it has alot of recommedations for how to cabling and configuration of the switches.

Pages 38-70 are the relevant pages.

Why do you have passthrough modules?

I am using Citrix Xen to host the virtual machines in the Blade servers. each balde servers (M610) there are 2 mezzanine cards and 2 LOM. The supplier advised this way because 2 LOM will access the SAN directly and the 2 mezzanine cards will access the LAN directly, this is the purpose of having the passthrough module.

I am not sure it is the right way to connect all these together. However, until now the configuration is incomplete. May be I am missing the SAN switches as i have one more external physical server has to directly access the SAN. the dell support is very limited here, especially in these type of enterprise solutions.

Joe, thanks for your suggestion, i am reading the part you specified in the documentation.

Any further suggestions to help in this type of scenario is highly appreciated.

Network solutions guy, Do you have a better way to do it together?

Thanks again and regards.

An oldie but good paper on M1000e to EQL doc: www.dell.com/.../Integrating_Blades_to_EqualLogic_SAN.pdf

Here's another good paper on M1000e with EQL on VMware vSphere:

www.vmworld.com/.../reference-architecture-vmware-vsphere-blades-equallogic-10gbe.pdf