Modify VLAN

Virtual Local Area Network (VLAN) tagging separates network traffic at the layer 2 level for Ethernet transport.

The system supports VLAN configuration on both IPv4 and IPv6 connections. VLAN can be used with priority flow control (PFC) which is a mechanism that is enabled on switches and adapter ports in the network for host attachment. PFC creates different classes for all types of traffic that improves network performance during times of congestion. To ensure that PFC operates as expected, the network and its components must be configured correctly. For example, if a single port is used for multiple protocols then the performance of both protocols can be affected.

The system supports PFC-enabled switch ports when they are connected to 10 Gbps ports on the system. Since the system allows up to four IP addresses per Ethernet port, VLAN tags must be assigned to each one to enable PFC for all addresses.

Configuring VLAN for hosts

When you configure VLAN tagging for host connections, follow these guidelines:
  • To configure VLAN tagging without disrupting I/O from hosts, all hosts need multiple ports and multipath drivers. In addition, each host must be configured with multiple iSCSI sessions to each iSCSI port on the system.
  • Each iSCSI session needs to be stopped one at a time to ensure that I/O can continue on alternative paths to the system.
If you are running previous versions of the system, configuring VLAN tags for iSCSI host sessions is a disruptive process.
Complete these steps to configure VLAN tags on existing host sessions:
  1. On the hosts, configure VLAN on the host ports that are used for iSCSI connections. Consult appropriate host documentation to complete this step.
  2. On all intervening switches, configure the switches with the VLAN tags per port connectivity. Consult appropriate switch documentation to complete this step.
  3. Verify that the port on which you are configuring VLAN tags is used for host attachment. In the management GUI, select Settings > Network > Ethernet Ports. Ensure that Yes is displayed in the host attach column for the selected port. If No is displayed, right-click the port and select Modify iSCSI hosts and select Enabled.
  4. Configure ports on the system with appropriate VLAN tags by completing these steps:
    1. On the Modify VLAN page, select to enable VLAN for either IPv4 or IPv6 connections.
    2. Enter the VLAN tag and select whether to use the same VLAN tag for the failover port. If the failover port does not have the same VLAN tag, a host can lose access to the volumes. To prevent a loss of access, select to use the same VLAN tag for the failover port.
    3. Click Modify.
  5. If you are using PFC with this VLAN configuration, complete the following steps on the PFC-supported switch:
    1. On the switch, set the priority tag for iSCSI.
    2. On the switch, enable the PFC for iSCSI priority tag.
    3. On the switch, enable Data Center Bridging Exchange (DCBx). DCBx enables switch and adapter ports to exchange parameters that describe traffic classes and PFC capabilities.

    For these steps, consult your switch documentation for details.

Configuring VLAN for external storage systems

The system supports iSCSI connections to systems that are used as external storage. VLAN tagging of the IP addresses configured for external storage systems is supported. For the systems and external storage systems to access each other, the same VLAN ID must be configured for ports on nodes on the system and the ports on the external storage system. In addition, VLAN settings must be configured on the Ethernet network to prevent any connection issues. When more than two ports are available, configure different ports for iSCSI host, remote-copy, and storage systems.

Complete these steps to configure VLAN tags on iSCSI attached storage systems:
  1. On the storage systems, configure VLAN on the ports that are used for iSCSI connections. Consult appropriate storage documentation to complete this step.
  2. On all intervening switches, configure the switches with the VLAN tags per port connectivity. Consult appropriate switch documentation to complete this step.
  3. Verify that the port on which you are configuring VLAN tags is used for storage system attachment. In the management GUI, select Settings > Network > Ethernet Ports. Ensure that Enabled is displayed in the Storage Port column for the selected port. If Disabled is displayed, right-click the port and select Modify Storage Ports to enable the port for iSCSI connections to storage systems.
  4. Configure ports on the system with appropriate VLAN tags by completing these steps:
    1. Right-click the node port that is configured for external storage connections and select Modify VLAN. Select to enable VLAN for either IPv4 or IPv6 connections.
    2. Enter the VLAN tag and select whether to use the same VLAN tag for the failover port. If the failover port does not have the same VLAN tag, a host can lose access to the volumes. To prevent a loss of access, select to use the same VLAN tag for the failover port.
    3. Click Modify.
  5. If you are using priority flow control (PFC) with this VLAN configuration, complete the following steps on the PFC-supported switch:
    1. On the switch, set the priority tag for iSCSI.
    2. On the switch, enable the PFC for iSCSI priority tag.
    3. On the switch, enable Data Center Bridging Exchange (DCBx). DCBx enables switch and adapter ports to exchange parameters that describe traffic classes and PFC capabilities. For these steps, consult your switch documentation for details

Configuring VLAN for IP partnerships

VLAN tagging of the IP addresses configured for IP partnerships is supported. IP partnerships create a remote-copy relationship between two volumes on two separate systems over an IP connection. For the systems in an IP partnership to access each other, the same VLAN ID must be configured for ports in the remote-copy group on both systems in an IP partnership. In addition, VLAN settings must be configured on the Ethernet network to prevent any connection issues.

To configure VLAN tagging on the system with an existing partnership, consider whether redundancy exists within your network. For those networks where there is no redundancy configured between the systems in the IP partnership, VLAN configuration requires that the partnership to be stopped before VLAN configuration and restarted when VLAN configuration is completed.

To configure VLAN tags for existing IP partnerships that are configured without redundancy between the systems in the partnership, complete these steps:
  1. Stop the partnership between the systems in the partnership by completing these steps:
    1. On the primary system in the partnership, select Copy Services > Partnerships in the management GUI.
    2. Right-click the partnership and select Stop.
    3. Repeat these steps on the remote system in the partnership.
  2. Configure VLAN settings on the Ethernet port for the primary system, by completing these steps:
    1. In the management GUI, select Settings > Network > Ethernet Ports.
    2. Right-click the port on which to configure the VLAN and select Actions > Modify VLAN.
    3. On the Modify VLAN page, select to enable VLAN for either IPv4 or IPv6 connections that are part of the remote-copy group.
    4. Enter the VLAN tag and select whether to use the same VLAN tag for the failover port.
    5. Click Modify.
  3. Configure all intervening switches with appropriate VLAN tags. To complete this step, consult appropriate switch documentation.
  4. Configure the VLAN setting on the Ethernet port for the remote system, by completing these steps:
    1. In the management GUI, select Settings > Network > Ethernet Ports.
    2. Right-click the port on which to configure the VLAN and select Actions > Modify VLAN.
    3. On the Modify VLAN page, select to enable VLAN for either IPv4 or IPv6 connections that are part of the remote-copy group.
    4. Enter the VLAN tag and select whether to use the same VLAN tag for the failover port.
    5. Click Modify.
  5. For the systems in an IP partnership to access each other, the same VLAN tag must configured for ports in the remote-copy group on both systems in the IP partnership. To configure the remote-copy group for the VLAN tag, complete these steps:
    1. On the primary system, select Settings > Network > Ethernet Ports.
    2. Right-click the port on which you configured the VLAN tag, and select Modify Remote Copy.
    3. Depending on the type of IP connection you are using, select the remote-copy group to associate with the port.
    4. Click Modify.
    5. Repeat these steps on the remote system, ensuring that you use the same remote-copy group to ensure connectivity between the two systems.
  6. Restart the partnership by completing these steps:
    1. On the primary system in the partnership, select Copy Services > Partnerships in the management GUI.
    2. Right-click the partnership and select Start.
    3. Repeat these steps on the remote system in the partnership.
  7. Verify that connectivity between the primary and remote system is restored.
Parent topic: Ethernet ports
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