Introduction 27
Internal Network A
PowerVault NX3500's internal network A is comprised of two independent
Gigabit Ethernet ports. The internal network is the infrastructure for the
PowerVault NX3500 clustering, and includes heartbeat monitoring, data
transfer, and mirroring of information between the controllers' caches. The
internal network also distributes data evenly across all LUNs in the system.
NOTE: Internal network A is also referred to as peer-to-peer connections. The
network uses point-to-point cable connections.
Internal Network B
Internal network B is the PowerVault NX3500 internal management network,
which is plugged into the SAN switch and connects both controllers. All
administrative related functions are performed on this network.
In the event where the controllers lose communication with each other but
continue to function independently (known as the split-brain situation), the
PowerVault management network automatically resets the suspected
controller. This prevents the split-brain situation and ensures data integrity.
LAN or Client Network
After the initial configuration, a virtual IP (VIP) address connects the
PowerVault NX3500 to the client or LAN network.
The VIP address allows clients to access the PowerVault NX3500 as a single
entity, thereby providing access to the file system. It enables the PowerVault
NX3500 to perform load balancing between controllers, and ensures that the
service continues even if a controller fails.
The LAN or client network is comprised of two Gigabit Ethernet ports on
each controller, which connect to the LAN or client network switches. The
solution can have a maximum of four VIPs that serve the system. For more
information, see “Setting Up Your PowerVault NX3500 Solution” on page29 .
The PowerVault NX3500 solution is administered using the LAN or client
network on the NAS Management VIP.