NetApp HCI Network Essentials

In order to successfully deploy NetApp HCI, it is essential that the network piece is correctly setup beforehand. The below links and diagrams are ones I’ve found helpful.

Switch Requirements for Deployment to be Successful:

(1.4) NetApp HCI Documentation Center

> Setting up and using NetApp HCI 1.4

>> Deploying NetApp HCI

>>> Requirements for NetApp HCI deployment

>>>> Network and switch requirements

http://docs.netapp.com/hci/index.jsp?topic=%2Fcom.netapp.doc.hci-ude-140%2FGUID-87D7F06F-8757-452B-9781-C973F63CD5C0.html&cp=3_0_1_0

(1.3.1) NetApp HCI Documentation Center

> Setting up and using NetApp HCI 1.3.1

>> Deploying NetApp HCI

>>> Requirements for NetApp HCI deployment

>>>> Network and switch requirements

http://docs.netapp.com/hci/index.jsp?topic=%2Fcom.netapp.doc.hci-ude-131%2FGUID-87D7F06F-8757-452B-9781-C973F63CD5C0.html&resultof=%22port%22%20%22fast%22%20

Cisco document on how to set up the VPC:

Products & Services / Switches / Data Center Switches / Cisco Nexus 5000 Series Switches / White Papers

https://www.cisco.com/c/en/us/products/collateral/switches/nexus-5000-series-switches/configuration_guide_c07-543563.html

Some examples of an existing configuration:

NetApp HCI Documentation Center

> Setting up and using NetApp HCI 1.3.1

>> Deploying NetApp HCI

>>> Requirements for NetApp HCI deployment

>>>> Network and switch requirements

>>>>> Switch port configuration examples

http://docs.netapp.com/hci/index.jsp?topic=%2Fcom.netapp.doc.hci-ude-131%2FGUID-3368F285-849D-4DEB-BA90-183FE722A4BF.html

NetApp HCI Network Setup Guide

https://www.netapp.com/us/media/tr-4679.pdf

The below diagrams come for the HCI Network Setup Guide - the important thing to note is that it is a requirement to have LACP (vPC) for the Storage Node Bond10G (technically, LACP is not a requirement, but it is highly recommended, and without it, performance will be poor - so don’t even consider it for HCI test/demo configurations.)

Note: The below might be slightly out of date for NDE 1.4.

Image 1/4: Storage Node Network Connections (Configure LACP for Bond10G)

Image 2/4: Storage Node VLAN Map

Image 3/4: Compute Node Network Connections (Do not configure LACP)

Image 4/4: Compute Node VLAN Map - Dedicated vMotion Network*

*vMotion can share the same network as management. vMotion cannot share the iSCSI subnet/VLAN.

Additional Links

NetApp HCI Documentation Resources

https://www.netapp.com/us/documentation/hci.aspx

NetApp HCI Theory of Operations

https://www.netapp.com/us/media/wp-7261.pdf