Planning Network Redundancy in Windows cluster with iSCSI

Planning Network Redundancy in Windows cluster with iSCSI

To deploye a cluster for an applications fault tolerant, we should do the same with the network. As we described in Network Design Guidelines of Configuring EqualLogic iSCSI, we have to apply certain rules when configuring redundancy for the different network segments of our cluster. The public network can be made redundant using NIC teaming or by configuring multiple interfaces on separate subnets. The network that is enabled for internal communication between cluster nodes, typically a private network, must not be teamed. The SAN network should use multipath I/O for redundancy.

Used with an iSCSI group, full cluster redundancy at the network level may require five
network interface cards (NICs). We can accomplish network redundancy in the server by using
the following:

• Teaming or multiple interfaces on separate subnets.

• Two NICs or iSCSI host bus adapters (HBAs) for SAN traffic, utilizing multipath I/O.

• One NIC for the private internal cluster communications or heartbeat.

As a best practice, ensure that the network adapters used in all cluster nodes are identical.
Whether using the server’s on-board (built-in) network adapters or add-on PCI/X cards, they
should be the same make, model, and firmware version on each network.

The following is an example of planning IP addresses for a cluster.

Cluster Name and IP Assignments

Interface IP Address Subnet Mask Gateway Note
SAN 192.168.0.11 255.255.255.0 Using MPIO.

SAN 192.168.0.12 255.255.255.0 Using MPIO.

Public 172.16.100.212 255.255.255.0 172.16.12.1 Teamed/virtual values

Private 10.10.10.1 255.255.255.0 N/A Do not assign gateway.

Node B
Interface          IP Address                  Subnet Mask               Gateway          Note
SAN                192.168.0.13               255.255.255.0                                     Using MPIO.

SAN                192.168.0.14               255.255.255.0                                     Using MPIO.

Public              172.16.100.222           255.255.255.0             172.16.12.1 Teamed/virtual values

Private 10.10.10.2 255.255.255.0 N/A Do not assign gateway.

Cluster
Short               Name FQDN (DNS) IP Address      Note
cluster0            cluster0.acme.com       172.16.100.10 Cluster configuration
clus-sql            clus-sql.acme.com       172.16.100.12 Application configuration

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