Reference Architecture

vStart 100 and 200 Reference Architecture

Dell Inc. 11

5.3 SAN Architecture

The SAN includes two PowerConnect 7048 or 6248 switches which support iSCSI data traffic. The two

switches are connected together with stacking modules in Ethernet mode configured as an inter-switch

link (ISL) Link Aggregation Group (LAG). In addition, the solution supports up to eight 1Gb uplinks from

each switch to link into an existing core iSCSI network infrastructure. These uplinks are optional. If

required, 10Gb uplink modules may be added to each switch; however these options are beyond the

scope of this document.

5.3.1 Traffic Isolation using VLAN

The traffic for the SAN is also segregated into its own VLAN. This facilitates isolation from the default

VLAN and gives a separation between SAN traffic and any other traffic that it may come across if the

SAN is uplinked to a LAN or extended to another SAN for replication.

5.3.2 EqualLogic Storage Concepts

Each EqualLogic array (or member) is assigned to a particular group. Groups help in simplifying

management by enabling management of all members in a group from a single interface. Each group

contains one or more storage pools. Each pool must contain one or more members and each member is

associated with only one storage pool. Figure 5 shows an example of a group with three members

distributed across two pools.

EqualLogic Organizational Concepts Figure 5.

Group

Pool

Member Member Member

The iSCSI volumes are created at the pool level. In the case where multiple members are placed in a

single pool, the data is distributed amongst the members of the pool. With data being distributed over

a larger number of disks, the potential performance of iSCSI volumes within the pool is increased with

each member added.

For more information, consult with your Dell Sales and Services representatives for planning out and

designing an EqualLogic storage solution. Also, refer to the white paper, Using Tiered Storage in a PS

Series SAN, available at http://www.equallogic.com/WorkArea/DownloadAsset.aspx?id=5239.

5.3.3 Volume Size Considerations

Volumes are created in the storage pools. Volume sizes depend on the customer environment and the

type of workloads. Volumes must be sized to accommodate not only the VM virtual hard drive, but also