Cisco Systems SN 5428-2 Network Router User Manual


 
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Cisco SN 5428-2 Storage Router Software Configuration Guide
OL-4691-01
Chapter 1 Before Configuring SN 5428-2 Storage Router Software
SN 5428-2 Cluster Management Overview
SN 5428-2 Cluster Management Overview
You can configure Cisco SN 5428-2 Storage Routers in a cluster to allow the storage routers to back each
other up in case of failure.
Note A storage router can participate in a cluster only if it is deployed for SCSI routing.
An SN 5428-2 Storage Router can be configured in a cluster with one other SN 5428-2, or with an
SN 5428, connected as follows:
Connected to the same hosts
Connected to the same storage systems
Connected to each other through their management and high availability (HA) interfaces
In a cluster, storage routers continually exchange HA information to propagate configuration data to
each other and to detect failures in the cluster. The storage routers exchange HA information through
two separate networks: one connected to the management interface of each storage router and the other
connected to the HA interface of each storage router. To make sure that HA information is exchanged
reliably between storage routers, the storage routers balance the transmission of HA information
between the management and the HA interfaces.
A storage router cluster supports up to 12 active instances of SCSI routing. For example, if one storage
router is already running two instances, it is eligible to run up to ten additional instances. At any given
time, an instance of SCSI routing can run on only one storage router in a cluster. The instance continues
running on the storage router where it was started until one of the following actions occurs:
The instance is explicitly stopped or failed over to the other storage router in the cluster.
The instance automatically fails over to another storage router because an interface is unavailable or
another software or hardware problem occurs. This automatic fail over uses intelligent eligibility
guidelines to determine fail over.
See Chapter 10, “Configuring a High Availability Cluster,” for more information about configuring a
high availability cluster.
Interface Naming
Configuring the SN 5428-2 Storage Router software requires that you understand hardware interface
naming. This section describes the interface naming system used with the SN 5428-2 Storage Router
hardware.
Each storage router interface is assigned a three-character name consisting of two lower-case letters
followed by a number. The letters designate the interface type; the number designates the chassis slot
occupied by the interface (See Figure 1-23).