HP Virtual Connect 1Gb Ethernet Cookbook

Introduction to Virtual Connect 1Gb Ethernet Networking 13
With Mapped VLAN Tags, you can create a Shared Uplink Set that contains ALL the VLANs you want to
present to your servers, then present only ONE network (the one associated with the VLAN we want the
server NIC in) to the Windows, LINUX or the ESX Console NIC, then select Multiple Networks for the NIC
connected to the ESX vSwitch and select ALL the networks that we want presented to the ESX host
vSwitch. The vSwitch will then break out the VLANs into port groups and present them to the guests.
Using Mapped VLAN Tags minimizes the number of uplinks required.
Benefits of a SUS
A Shared Uplink Set can be configure to support both tagged and un-tagged network traffic to a server NIC, which
simplifies the overall configuration and minimizes the number of uplink cables required to support the network
connections.
Determining Network Traffic Patterns (North/South and
East/West) and Virtual Connect network design (Active/Active vs.
Active/Standby)
When choosing which Virtual Connect network design to use, consider the type of network traffic this enclosure
will need to support. For example, will there be much server to server traffic needed within the enclosure, or is
the traffic flow mainly in/out bound of the enclosure.
Network traffic patterns, North/South vs. East/West, should be considered when designing a Virtual Connect
solution as network connectivity can be implemented in a way to maximize the connected bandwidth and/or
minimize the need for server to server traffic to leave the enclosure when communicating on the same VLAN
within the enclosure.
For example; if the solution being implemented will have a high level of in/out or North/South traffic flow, an
Active/Active network design would likely be the better solution. However, if a greater level of network traffic is
between systems within the same enclosure/VLAN, such as a multi-tiered application, then a better design may
be Active/Standby, as this would minimize or eliminate any server to server communications from leaving the
enclosure.
The single SUS is a popular configuration when supporting primarily East/West traffic patterns. No matter which
NIC a server is active on, if talking to another server within the enclosure on the same VLAN, the traffic will remain
within the VC/enclosure.