In the non-converged network configurations, the storage traffic is separated from the management/VM traffic using dedicated storage network adapters. The following figure depicts this network integration option.

Figure showing network integration in a non-converged configuration with two NIC ports — Figure 6. Network integration in a non-converged configuration with two NIC ports

The following figure depicts using four NIC ports for storage in a non-converged topology.

Figure showing network integration in a non-converged configuration with four NIC ports — Figure 7. Network integration in a non-converged configuration with four NIC ports

In the non-converged configuration, storage traffic can either be on the physical ports or implemented as virtual adapters in the host operating system that is connected to a Switch-Embedded Team.

Two-node back-to-back connected architecture

The following figure shows the two storage networks needed to create a dual-link direct interconnect between two clustered nodes (also known as back-to-back). The numbered blue lines indicate the recommended cabling order, beginning with the network adapter in the lowest slot number, Port 1. After cabling storage, connect all nodes, LOM/rNDC/OCP, Ports 1 and 2 to a management/VM network.

Note: The two-node back-to-back storage topology supports all available RDMA-based network adapters that are supported in the solution.

Image of two-node dual-link direct cabling — Figure 8. Two-node dual-link direct cabling

Storage on physical adapters

In the non-converged configuration, Dell Technologies recommends the following:

Storage traffic is on the physical storage network adapter ports
Management/VM traffic goes through a SET created using network ports of the server rNDC

The following figure depicts this configuration.

Figure showing storage on physical links in a non-converged topology with two NIC ports — Figure 9. Storage on physical links in a non-converged topology with two NIC ports

The following figure illustrates the non-converged topology with four NIC ports that are used as physical adapters.

Figure showing storage on physical links in a non-converged topology with four NIC ports — Figure 10. Storage on physical links in a non-converged topology with four NIC ports

There are two different variants of the non-converged topology with storage on physical adapters.

In the first variant, one port per network adapter is used for the physical storage links and the rest of the 25 GbE ports from each NIC are used for management/VM traffic. The following figure depicts this host operating system network configuration. This topology helps in scenarios where you require higher bandwidth for VMs while not compromising on bandwidth for storage traffic.

Figure showing non-converged topology with storage and management using 25GbE network ports — Figure 11. Non-converged topology with storage and management using 25 GbE network ports

The second variant is similar to the configuration depicted in Figure 9 but adds mandatory bandwidth weight configuration on the host management VM switch and additional virtual adapter in the host operating system for backup traffic. The following figure depicts this host operating system network configuration.

Figure showing non-converged topology with additional backup virtual adapter and bandwidth shaping — Figure 12. Non-converged topology with additional backup virtual adapter and bandwidth shaping

Bandwidth shaping is necessary to ensure that there is no contention between different traffic classes going through the same VM switch and that every traffic class gets its fair share of bandwidth.

In the non-converged topology with storage on physical ports, there is no SET or native team created for storage traffic. The physical adapter ports in the host operating system are configured with the VLAN and IP configuration that is needed for storage communication across nodes in the cluster.

Deployment instructions for non-converged network configuration

This section provides the PowerShell commands to configure the non-converged network topology in which the physical links are used for storage traffic and a SET is implemented for management/VM traffic. The following instructions are applicable to all three variants of topologies shown in Figure 9, Figure 10, Figure 11, and Figure 12.

$ErrorActionPreference = 'Stop'

#region Variables for the scenario

## Optional bandwidth shaping parameters. Change the values to suit your
$defaultFlowMinimumBandwidthWeight = 50
$backupBandwidthWeight = 40
$managementBandwidthWeight = 10

## Backup Adapter (Optional)
$backupAdapterName = 'Backup'

# VLAN ID for backup traffic; if no VLAN is preferred set this to 0
$backupVlanId = 100

# Set this to a string 'DHCP' for a dynamic IP address
$backupIPAddress = '172.16.105.51'

# Backup network address prefix (24 translates to subnet mask 255.255.255.0)
$backupAddressPrefix = 24

## Management Adapter
$ManagementSwitchName = 'Management'
$ManagementNetAdapterName = @('NIC1','NIC2')
$ManagementAdapterName = 'Management'

# VLAN ID for host management traffic; if no VLAN is preferred set this to 0
$ManagementVlanId = 102

# Management Gateway address
$ManagementGateway = '172.16.102.1'

# DNS Server Address
$ManagementDns = '172.16.102.2'

# Set this to a string 'DHCP' for a dynamic IP address
$ManagementIPAddress = '172.16.102.51'

# Management address prefix (24 translates to subnet mask 255.255.255.0)
$ManagementAddressPrefix = 24

## Storage Adapters
### You must specify 2 or 4 network adapter port names
$StorageNetAdapterName = @('SLOT 2 PORT 1', 'SLOT 2 PORT 2')

### You must specify 1 or 2 or 4 VLANIDs
### Specify 0 if you want the network not tagged with any VLAN
$StorageVlanId = @(103, 104)

### You must specify 2 or 4 IP Addresses
### DHCP as a value is accepted if you want dynamically assigned IP addresses
$StorageIPAddress = @('172.16.103.51', '172.16.104.51')

### You can specify 1 or 2 or 4 prefix length values (24 translates to subnet mask 255.255.255.0)
$StorageAddressPrefix = @(24)

#endregion

## Create a VM switch for management
$null = New-VMSwitch -Name $ManagementSwitchName -AllowManagementOS 0 -NetAdapterName $ManagementNetAdapterName -MinimumBandwidthMode Weight -Verbose

## Add VM Network Adapters and configure VLANs and IP addresses as needed
### Configure Management Adapter
$managementAdapter = Add-VMNetworkAdapter -SwitchName $ManagementSwitchName -ManagementOS -Passthru -Name $ManagementAdapterName -Verbose

if ($ManagementVlanId -and ($ManagementVlanId -ne 0))
{
 # Set VM Network adapter VLAN only if the VLAN ID specified is other than 0
 Set-VMNetworkAdapterVlan -VMNetworkAdapter $managementAdapter -Access -VlanId $ManagementVlanId -Verbose
 Start-Sleep -Seconds 5
}

if ($ManagementIPAddress -ne 'DHCP')
{
 $null = New-NetIPAddress -InterfaceAlias "vEthernet ($ManagementAdapterName)" -IPAddress $ManagementIPAddress -DefaultGateway $ManagementGateway -PrefixLength $ManagementAddressPrefix -Verbose
 Set-DnsClientServerAddress -InterfaceAlias "vEthernet ($ManagementAdapterName)" -ServerAddresses $ManagementDns -Verbose
}

### Configure Backup Adapter
$backupAdapter = Add-VMNetworkAdapter -SwitchName $ManagementSwitchName -ManagementOS -Passthru -Name $backupAdapterName -Verbose

if ($backupVlanId -and ($backupVlanId -ne 0))
{
 # Set VM Network adapter VLAN only if the VLAN ID specified is other than 0
 Set-VMNetworkAdapterVlan -VMNetworkAdapter $backupAdapter -Access -VlanId $backupVlanId -Verbose
 Start-Sleep -Seconds 5
}

if ($backupIPAddress -ne 'DHCP')
{
 $null = New-NetIPAddress -InterfaceAlias "vEthernet ($backupAdapterName)" -IPAddress $backupIPAddress -PrefixLength $backupAddressPrefix -Verbose
}

### Management and backup adapter optional configuration
Set-VMNetworkAdapter -ManagementOS -Name $ManagementAdapterName -MinimumBandwidthWeight $managementBandwidthWeight
Set-VMNetworkAdapter -ManagementOS -Name $ManagementAdapterName -MinimumBandwidthWeight $backupBandwidthWeight
Set-VMSwitch -Name $ManagementSwitchName -DefaultFlowMinimumBandwidthWeight $defaultFlowMinimumBandwidthWeight

### Configure storage adapters
for ($i = 0; $i -lt $StorageNetAdapterName.Count; $i++)
{
 # if there is a single VLAN for storage use the first and only element
 if ($storageVlanId.Count -eq 1)
 {
 $storageVlan = $storageVlanId[0]
 }
 else
 {
 # else use the right index to get the VLAN ID
 $storageVlan = $storageVlanId[$i]
 }

 # Check if only one prefix is provided
 if ($StorageAddressPrefix.Count -eq 1)
 {
 $StoragePrefix = $StorageAddressPrefix[0]
 }
 else
 {
 # if more than one, use the right index to get the address prefix
 $StoragePrefix = $StorageAddressPrefix[$i]
 }

 if ($storageVlan -and ($storageVlan -ne 0))
 {
 # Set VM Network adapter VLAN only if the VLAN ID specified is other than 0
 Set-NetAdapterAdvancedProperty -Name $StorageNetAdapterName[$i] -DisplayName 'VLAN ID' -DisplayValue $storageVlan -Verbose
 Start-Sleep -Seconds 5
 }

 if ($StorageIPAddress[$i] -ne 'DHCP')
 {
 $null = New-NetIPAddress -InterfaceAlias $StorageNetAdapterName[$i] -IPAddress $StorageIPAddress[$i] -PrefixLength $StoragePrefix -Verbose
 }
}

Storage using SET

In the second host operating system network configuration option within non-converged topology, the storage traffic uses virtual adapters in the host operating system connected to a SET.

Image showing storage on SET in a non-converged topology with two NIC ports — Figure 13. Storage on SET in a non-converged topology with two NIC ports

The following figure depicts storage on SET with four NIC ports.

Image showing storage on SET in a non-converged topology with four NIC ports — Figure 14. Storage on SET in a non-converged topology with four NIC ports

As shown in Figure 13 and Figure 14, different SET switches get implemented for storage and management/VM traffic.

Deployment instructions for storage using SET

This section provides the PowerShell commands to configure the non-converged network topology in which the SET switches are used for both storage traffic management/VM traffic.

$ErrorActionPreference = 'Stop'

#region Variables for the scenario
## Management Adapter
$ManagementSwitchName = 'Management'
$ManagementNetAdapterName = @('NIC1','NIC2')
$ManagementAdapterName = 'Management'

# VLAN ID for host management traffic; if no VLAN is preferred set this to 0
$ManagementVlanId = 102

# Management Gateway Addreess
$ManagementGateway = '172.16.102.1'

# DNS Server Address
$ManagementDns = '172.16.102.2'

# Set this to a string 'DHCP' for a dynamic IP address
$ManagementIPAddress = '172.16.102.51'

# Management address prefix (24 translates to subnet mask 255.255.255.0)
$ManagementAddressPrefix = 24

## Storage Adapters
$storageSwitchName = 'Storage'

### You must specify 2 or 4 network adapter port names
$StorageNetAdapterName = @('SLOT 2 PORT 1', 'SLOT 2 PORT 2')

### You must specify 1 or 2 or 4 VLANIDs
### Specify 0 if you want the network not tagged with any VLAN
$StorageVlanId = @(103, 104)

### You must specify 2 or 4 IP Addresses
### DHCP as a value is accepted if you want dynamically assigned IP addresses
$StorageIPAddress = @('172.16.103.51', '172.16.104.51')

### You can specify 1 or 2 or 4 prefix length values (24 translates to subnet mask 255.255.255.0)
$StorageAddressPrefix = @(24)

#endregion

# Add VM Network Adapters and configure VLANs and IP addresses as needed
## Management Adapter
### Management VM Switch
$null = New-VMSwitch -Name $ManagementSwitchName -AllowManagementOS 0 -NetAdapterName $ManagementNetAdapterName -MinimumBandwidthMode Weight -Verbose
$managementAdapter = Add-VMNetworkAdapter -SwitchName $ManagementSwitchName -ManagementOS -Passthru -Name $ManagementAdapterName -Verbose

if ($ManagementVlanId -and ($ManagementVlanId -ne 0))
{
 # Set VM Network adapter VLAN only if the VLAN ID specified is other than 0
 Set-VMNetworkAdapterVlan -VMNetworkAdapter $managementAdapter -Access -VlanId $ManagementVlanId -Verbose
 Start-Sleep -Seconds 5
}

if ($ManagementIPAddress -ne 'DHCP')
{
 $null = New-NetIPAddress -InterfaceAlias "vEthernet ($ManagementAdapterName)" -IPAddress $ManagementIPAddress -DefaultGateway $ManagementGateway -PrefixLength $ManagementAddressPrefix -Verbose
 Set-DnsClientServerAddress -InterfaceAlias "vEthernet ($ManagementAdapterName)" -ServerAddresses $ManagementDns -Verbose
}

## Storage Adapters
### Storage VM Switch
$null = New-VMSwitch -Name $StorageSwitchName -AllowManagementOS 0 -NetAdapterName $StorageNetAdapterName -Verbose

## Add VM Network adapters and configure VLANs and IP addresses as needed
### Configure storage adapters
for ($i = 0; $i -lt $StorageNetAdapterName.Count; $i++)
{
 $storageAdapterName = "${storageAdapterPrefix}$($i+1)"

 # if there is a single VLAN for storage use the first and only element
 if ($storageVlanId.Count -eq 1)
 {
 $storageVlan = $storageVlanId[0]
 }
 else
 {
 # else use the right index to get the VLAN ID
 $storageVlan = $storageVlanId[$i]
 }

 # Check if only one prefix is provided
 if ($StorageAddressPrefix.Count -eq 1)
 {
 $StoragePrefix = $StorageAddressPrefix[0]
 }
 else
 {
 # if more than one, use the right index to get the address prefix
 $StoragePrefix = $StorageAddressPrefix[$i]
 }

 $storageAdapter = Add-VMNetworkAdapter -SwitchName $storageSwitchName -ManagementOS -Passthru -Name $storageAdapterName -Verbose

 if ($storageVlan -and ($storageVlan -ne 0))
 {
 # Set VM Network adapter VLAN only if the VLAN ID specified is other than 0
 Set-VMNetworkAdapterVlan -VMNetworkAdapter $storageAdapter -Access -VlanId $storageVlan -Verbose
 Start-Sleep -Seconds 5
 }

 if ($StorageIPAddress[$i] -ne 'DHCP')
 {
 $null = New-NetIPAddress -InterfaceAlias "vEthernet ($storageAdapterName)" -IPAddress $StorageIPAddress[$i] -PrefixLength $StoragePrefix -Verbose 
 }
 
 ## Set VMnetwork adapter to Physical adapter mapping
 Set-VMNetworkAdapterTeamMapping -VMNetworkAdapterName $storageAdapterName –ManagementOS –PhysicalNetAdapterName $netAdapterName[$i] 
}