Technical information

June 2012 Dell EqualLogic Configuration Guide v13.2 68
Table 33 Dual M-Series Stacks to Stacked External Switch Infrastructure
M-Series IO Module Stack(s) to Stacked External Switch Infrastructure
Advantages Concerns
•
Each M-Series IO Module stack can be updated independently
without bringing SAN down.
• SAN Array-to-array traffic is isolated outside of the M1000e
enclosures
• Fixed hops between hosts and array volumes regardless of
number of M1000e enclosures
• Supports ability to scale arrays
• Supports ability to scale host.
• Supports sharing SAN with non-M1000e servers.
• Fewer “switches” to manage since each stack is managed as a
single switch
•
Firmware updates
on external stack
requires scheduled
downtime
• Limited scalability
of LAG bandwidth.
• Spanning Tree
may block some
links if a loop is
created.
Other Notes
•
If available, use 10Gb links between M-series IO modules and external switches
• M-series IO module stacks do not need to be interconnected since no arrays are attached
directly to M-series IO modules.
• Additional M1000e enclosures are added in similar fashion to diagram above. Enclosure
scalability is greater if 10Gb links are used between M-series IO module stacks and the
external stack
• This strategy works for a single fabric or dual fabric M-Series IO module configuration (See
Section 4.7.1.1 for details)