Technical information

June 2012 Dell EqualLogic Configuration Guide v13.2 44
Table 19 Redundant Server NIC Configurations
LOM
NIC
Installed
NIC 1
Installed
NIC 2
NIC Connections
to SAN
X X
-
- X X
X - X
4.4.1 Design guidelines for host connectivity in a redundant SAN
Using the Dell PowerEdge R610 server as an example, you configure redundant connection paths to
the SAN switches as shown in Figure 16 below. The R610 server shown in Figure 16 has one additional
dual-port PCI-E NIC installed. This configuration leaves two unused ports on the LOM controller for
connecting to the server LAN.
Note: As a best practice, we recommend using the same NIC devices in your server for all
connection paths to the iSCSI SAN. This will minimize the complexity of server configuration
management.
For maximum performance, ensure that the PCI express slot hosting the network controller has
the same specifications as the network controller. For example, if the network controller has a
PCIe x8 interface then ensure that it is installed into a PCIe slot that can support 8 or more PCIe
lanes.
Figure 16 Redundant NIC Connections from Server to SAN using one installed PCI-E NIC and LOM
An R610 server with two additional dual-port PCI-E NICs installed is shown in Figure 17 below. This
configuration leaves all four ports on the LOM controller available for other connections.