Before installing the StorageGRID Webscale appliance, make sure you understand how the controller ports are used.
The controllers in the StorageGRID Webscale appliance include the following ports. The diagram shows the SG5660 model; the controllers in the SG5612 model are side by side instead of stacked.
| Item | Port | Type of port | Function |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Management port 1 on the E2700 controller | 1-Gb (RJ-45) Ethernet | Connects the E2700 controller to the network where SANtricity Storage Manager is installed. |
| 2 | Management port 2 on the E2700 controller | 1-Gb (RJ-45) Ethernet | Connects the E2700 controller to a service laptop during installation. |
| 3 | Two SAS interconnect ports on each controller, labelled Ch 1 and Ch 2 | E2700 controller: mini-SAS-HD E5600SG controller: mini-SAS |
Connect the two controllers to each other. |
| 4 | Management port 1 on the E5600SG controller | 1-Gb (RJ-45) Ethernet | Connects the E5600SG controller to the Admin network for StorageGRID Webscale. |
| 5 | Management port 2 on the E5600SG controller | 1-Gb (RJ-45) Ethernet | Connects the E5600SG controller to a service laptop during installation. |
| 6 | Four network ports on the E5600SG controller | 10-GbE (optical) | Connect the E5600SG controller to the Grid network and to the Client network (if used) for StorageGRID Webscale. The ports can be bonded together to provide redundant paths to the controller. |
Connections for the 10-GbE ports on the E5600SG controller
The four network ports on the E5600SG controller are bonded together to provide redundant paths to the controller, as follows:
- Fixed Port Configuration (default) – Ports 2 and 4 control the Grid network, and ports 1 and 3 control the Client network, if enabled. The ports can be bonded in active-backup mode or in Link Aggregation Control Protocol mode (LACP IEEE 802.3ad).
In active-backup mode (default), only one port is active at a time. If the active port fails, its backup port automatically provides a failover connection. When you use fixed port configuration, port 4 provides a backup path for port 2 (Grid network), and port 3 provides a backup path for port 1 (Client network).
In LACP mode, each pair of ports forms a logical channel between the controller and the network, allowing for higher throughput. If one port fails, the other port provides a failover connection. LACP mode requires version 1.7 or later of the StorageGRID Webscale Appliance Installer.
- Aggregate Port Configuration – Starting with version 1.7 of the StorageGRID Webscale Appliance Installer, you can specify that all four ports be grouped in a single LACP bond, allowing all ports to be used for Grid network and Client network traffic. Aggregate Port Configuration significantly increases the throughout for each network and provides additional failover paths. When using Aggregate Port Configuration, you must specify a unique VLAN ID for each network. This VLAN ID will be added to each network packet to ensure that network traffic is routed to the correct network.
For more information on configuring these ports, see the instructions for cabling the appliance and the appropriate StorageGRID Webscale Software Installation Guide.