ServerNet Cluster 6780 Planning and Installation Guide (G06.28+, H06.05+)

Table Of Contents
Planning for Installation and Migration
ServerNet Cluster 6780 Planning and Installation Guide527301-005
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Task 3: Plan for the 6780 Switches
Task 3: Plan for the 6780 Switches
Each 6780 switch weighs approximately 75 pounds. The switches are either
preinstalled in a provided rack or shipped separately in a box.
Plan the Number of Layers and Zones
The number of layers and zones you need for the ServerNet cluster depends on:
The number of nodes
The same number of nodes can be accommodated by different combinations of
layers and zones. Refer to Plan the Number of 6780 Switches on page 3-9.
The location of the nodes
If you have nodes in three distinct geographical locations, you need three zones.
Fault tolerance
Two zones provide better fault tolerance than either one zone or three zones. The
links between zones have fail-over capabilities, where traffic can be rerouted to
another link travelling to the same 6780 switch.
Performance
The performance (total aggregate throughput) between 6780 switches in the same
zone is better than between switches in different zones, especially if the distance
between zones is long.
Note. Each zone must have the same number of layers.
Note. If you use the long-distance option, there are bandwidth considerations and a limit of
two zones. See Appendix G, Using the Long-Distance Option.