Dell FS8600 FS Networking

Dell FS8600 FS Networking

Working with the Dell Storage Compellent FS8600 is a bit of a challenge. Especially if you are the network engineer trying to comply with the Server and Storage guys.

The core issue with the current version 3.0.9x, is that all interfaces uses the same routing domain/table, even the mgmt-interface.

Most of us are used to using network devices having a mgmt-interface in a different routing domain/table, making it a pure OOB mgmt-interface for the device. But this does not exist in the Dell FS8600, so you have to rethink your design.

If you want to use a separate subnet for your mgmt-interface compared with the client network, which is still possible, it will follow the client network default route. You can still add static routes for your client networks, but NOT for the mgmt-interface, which is STUPID! that means that Dell designed it for the mgmt-ips to be on the same network of any of your Client networks.

So if you still want to use a separate subnet for the mgmt-interface, my suggestion would be to use a firewall/router, if your firewall have an interface on the considered mgmt-interface-subnet and do a Destination NAT with Source NAT enabled, so that the mgmt-interfaces of the FS86000 can be reached without having to think of the routing table.

You can of course still manage the FS8600 via the client network, but it would not be recommended you don't if you need to change tags and ip-ranges on the client network for any reason. Always better to use the dedicated mgmt-inteface to ensure you don't loose the connection, aka "cut your leg off".

Hopefully Dell will reconsider and change this in their next major release so that the mgmt-interface will have its own routing domain/table with its own default route.

Good luck. if anything, you can email me.

Dell M1000e Initial Network Configuration

So your company/enterprise or organization is considering to purchase, or has purchased a Dell M1000e Server Enclosure. Congratulations, Its an awesome piece of machinery in terms of CPU/Watt.

If your organization has budgeted for this type of hardware, you most probably have a support contract, and might have also bought Dell Professional services to help you design and do initial setup. If not, this article might help you on your way to save some costs.

 

Spec Info
The server enclosure can fit 8 full height or 16 half height server blades. The server blades comes in various configurations.

On the Back side of the enclosure, one can fit a wide range of various network blade switches and fiber switches, depending on what your organizations requirements are.

Initial Configuration
The Enclosure comes with a management module called CMC, Chassis Management Controller, like HP iLO. There is 2 CMCs that works in Active/Passive, on in each upper corner on the rear of the enclosure. it has 2 RJ45s for redundancy.

You set the initial IP of the CMC on the LCD display on the front of the Enclosure. You also set the iDrac IP's of the blades, later used to configure the individual blade and load with the preferred software. I really don't see a need to use the Serial interface unless for any kind of troubleshooting. Connect the RJ45

After you configured the CMC-ip, connect to the IP via SSH. default username and password for the CMS is root/calvin.

You will be presented with a prompt "$". This CLI is not very advanced, its intended mostly to connect to the various modules in the chassis that has its own CLI.

Since i will only be covering the networking part here, I will write up another blog about the server/hard disk another time.

Now some basics of the back side. as you might have seen, there is indicators showing A1, B1, C1, C2, B2 and A2.

Its important to understand these different Fabrics. Depending on the BW you planning to use, and if you are using 10GbE and 40GbE its recommended that use use 1 fabric for one type. Say you plan to use 40GbE networking for Data traffic and another 40GbE toward your external Storage, then it would be recommended to use Fabric A for Network toward your clients/servers, and Fabric B toward your NAS/iSCSI/Fibre-Channel. You can of course equip a fabric with a larger switch-blade with more ports and cover both live traffic and storage traffic within same fabric.

This would mean that you use A1 and A2 for Network, and B1 and B2 for your Storage.

To connect to each of the Fabrics thru the CMC you type,

"connect switch-A1" where A1 obviously means Fabric A1 and so forth.

This is now like a console access to the Switch, of whatever configuration you put in.

If you are using Dell Force10 modules, the CLI will be very much alike a Cisco/HP Switch with some modifications.

Good luck with your configurations. If you have any questions about the configurations, don't hesitate to send me a message.