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Ways to configure iSCSI SAN hosts with single nodes

Contributors

You can configure the iSCSI SAN hosts to connect directly to a single node or by using either one or multiple IP switches. You should determine whether you want a single-switch configuration that is not completely redundant or a multi-switch configuration that is completely redundant.

You can configure iSCSI SAN hosts in a direct-attached, single-switch, or multi-switch environment. If there are multiple hosts connecting to the node, each host can be configured with a different operating system. For single and multi-network configurations, the node can have multiple iSCSI connections to the switch, but multipathing software that supports ALUA is required.

Note

If there are multiple paths from the host to the controller, then ALUA must be enabled on the host.

Direct-attached single-node configurations

In direct-attached configurations, one or more hosts are directly connected to the node.

diagram of directly-attached controllers with one or more hosts directly connected to the node

Single-network single-node configurations

In single-network single-node configurations, one switch connects a single node to one or more hosts. Because there is a single switch, this configuration is not fully redundant.

Direct-attached single network single node configuration

Multi-network single-node configurations

In multi-network single-node configurations, two or more switches connect a single node to one or more hosts. Because there are multiple switches, this configuration is fully redundant.

Multi-network single-node configuration