General |
| Q1. |
What is HP Virtual Connect? |
| A1. |
Virtual Connect is a set of interconnect modules and embedded software for HP BladeSystem c-Class enclosures that simplifies the setup and administration of server connections. HP Virtual Connect includes the HP 1/10Gb Virtual Connect Ethernet Modules, 4Gb Virtual Connect Fibre Channel Module, and the HP Virtual Connect Manager embedded with each Ethernet Module.
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| Q2. |
How does Virtual Connect work? What are the key technologies involved? |
| A2. |
While Virtual Connect uses the standard NICs within the server, it uses a new class of Ethernet interconnect modules to simplify connection of those server NICs to the datacenter environment. Virtual Connect also extends the capability of the standard server NICs by providing support for securely administering their Ethernet MAC address.
The HP Virtual Connect Ethernet Module will allow the c-Class administrator to interconnect multiple modules (and enclosures), define uplinks to their datacenter Ethernet switches, and then allow the administrator to select which server NIC ports will be connected to each external network. Looking in to the enclosure from each external Ethernet network, only the selected Ethernet NIC ports will be visible on what appears to be an isolated, private, loop-free network.
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| Q3. |
What is the Virtual Connect Architecture? |
| A3. |
The c-Class infrastructure was designed with Virtual Connect in mind. The OnBoard Administrator, PCI-Express mezzanine cards, NICs & drivers, and iLO communication channel are all incorporated in and necessary to the operation of Virtual Connect and together with the Virtual Connect modules constitute the Virtual Connect Architecture. The fact that Virtual Connect is so tightly and completely integrated into the c-Class infrastructure helps make its functionality so powerful and seamless to BladeSystem c-Class users.
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| Q4. |
Are any special server mezzanine cards required? |
| A4. |
No special mezzanine cards are required. HP Virtual Connect works with the standard server Ethernet Network Interface Controllers (NICs) that are available with c-Class server blades.
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| Q5. |
How many Virtual Connect modules do I need? What is the minimum supported configuration? |
| A5. |
The c-Class enclosure requires one interconnect module for each Ethernet port used on the half-height server bays. There are a minimum of two Ethernet ports embedded on each server, so a minimum of two Virtual Connect-Enet modules are recommended. Up to six Virtual Connect-Enet modules may be used in a single enclosure. An environment with a single Virtual Connect-Enet module per enclosure is supported, but not recommended as it doesn't provide a high-availability configuration for the Virtual Connect Manager or allow for resilient server network connections.
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Administration |
| Q1. |
Isn't Virtual Connect just shifting the workload from network admins to server admins? |
| A1. |
No, the network administration responsibility remains in the hands of the networking specialist. A few simple networking setup steps at initial deployment is all that is required. The server specialist then has the flexibility to adjust which servers and NICs are connected to the specific networks provided and he/she can do it on his/her own without needing to schedule help from the network admin.
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| Q2. |
Isn't the network admin losing control of his networks? |
| A2. |
Not at all. The networking admin still decides which networks will be made available* to the servers in a Virtual Connect Domain; but he/she just treats all of those servers as a pool instead of as individual servers. Once Virtual Connect is configured, the networking admin doesn't have to help with server changes. The server admin will have the flexibility to decide, and change as needed, which NICs are connected to which of the networks provided by the network administrator.
* In datacenters using VLANs, a fairly typical method of deployment would be for the networking administrator to drop two (primary & backup) Ethernet cables to the rack and then to set up the datacenter switches so that multiple, VLAN-tagged Ethernet networks will be carried over those cables. This allows the network administrator to have complete control over the networks made available to the server administrator.
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| Q3. |
Are we making Virtual NICs and Virtual MAC addresses? |
| A3. |
No. Virtual Connect works with the NICs that reside on the servers. We are not creating virtual ones. The MAC addresses are also "real." They are the only MAC addresses seen by the system, the OS, the networks, and everything else.
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| Q4. |
How does Virtual Connect administer MAC address? |
| A4. |
Virtual Connect has the unique ability to administer the MAC addresses presented by the hardware as their MAC addresses. While the hardware ships with default MAC addresses, the Virtual Connect-administered values will override these values as long as the server remains in that Virtual Connect enclosure. Virtual Connect securely manages the MACs by accessing the physical NICs via the enclosure's OnBoard Administer and the iLO interfaces on the individual server blades.
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| Q5. |
What happens if a server with Virtual Connect administered addresses is moved to a non-Virtual Connect enclosure? What if it is moved to a different Virtual Connect domain? |
| A5. |
If a server is moved from a Virtual Connect managed enclosure to a non-Virtual Connect enclosure, the local MAC addresses are automatically returned to the original factory defaults.
If a server is removed from a server bay within a Virtual Connect domain and is plugged into another bay in the same Virtual Connect domain or into a bay in a different domain, it will be assigned the new set of addresses appropriate for that server location.
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Ethernet connectivity |
| Q1. |
What do the Virtual Connect-Enet uplinks look like from the datacenter? |
| A1. |
Virtual Connect Ethernet module uses standard Ethernet bridge circuitry with special firmware to make it into a configurable Ethernet port aggregator. For a specific external datacenter connection, only the selected Ethernet NIC ports will be visible on what appears to be an isolated, private, loop-free network. The Virtual Connect-Enet uplinks do not participate in the datacenter Spanning Tree Protocol or other switch management protocols that could disturb the datacenter network.
The Virtual Connect-Enet module uplinks support link aggregation, link layer discovery protocol (LLDP), and VLAN tagging so that uplinks can be shared to connect multiple networks.
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| Q2. |
Does Virtual Connect-Enet participate in the datacenter Spanning Tree Protocol? |
| A2. |
No. It does not participate in the datacenter spanning tree. Instead, it provides a simple loop-free connection to the external network.
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| Q3. |
How are Ethernet loops prevented within the Virtual Connect Domain? |
| A3. |
Each network defined within Virtual Connect may have one or more uplinks. Virtual Connect will independently ensure that no loops are created within the enclosure and that the resulting tree structure is optimized for the uplinks to the datacenter.
When multiple uplinks are used on a network, HP Virtual Connect will first see if any of the ports can be collected together into an aggregation group (requires connections to go from a single Virtual Connect-Enet module to a single datacenter switch), then it will pick a single link (or aggregation group) as the connection to the external network. The remaining connections will be blocked and be held as standby ports.
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| Q4. |
Does the Virtual Connect-Enet support VLAN tagging? |
| A4. |
Virtual Connect environments can be set up to allow uplinks to the datacenter to be shared by multiple networks (through the use of VLAN tags). It does not support dynamic VLAN trunking protocols.
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| Q5. |
How does Virtual Connect work with Cisco protocols, specifically trunking? |
| A5. |
When multiple Virtual Connect-Enet uplinks are connected to a Cisco switch, it appears similar to when we connect multiple Ethernet ports from a single server. Specifically, that means that Virtual Connect will be supporting port aggregation using the standard LACP protocol (802.3ad). Those uplinks can also use VLAN tags so that multiple networks can be carried over a single cable. In that case the VLAN tags are added/removed as they leave/enter the Virtual Connect environment.
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Stacking |
| Q1. |
What does interconnecting the Ethernet modules do for me? |
| A1. |
This allows all Ethernet network controllers on all servers in the Virtual Connect domain to have access to any Virtual Connect-Enet uplink port. By using these module-to-module links, a single pair of uplinks may be used as the datacenter network connections for the entire Virtual Connect domain. Furthermore, it allows any server NIC to be connected to any Ethernet network.
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| Q2. |
How long can the Virtual Connect-Enet stacking cables be? |
| A2. |
Supported cable lengths on 10Gb uplinks are 3 to 15 meters and supported 10Gb stacking links (connecting between two HP Virtual Connect Ethernet Modules) are 0.5 to 7 meters.
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| Q3. |
Does stacking require that all cables to be working? What happens if one cable breaks? |
| A3. |
Fully redundant interconnection of Virtual Connect-Enet modules is recommended. The recommended stacking configurations have redundant connections. If a stacking cable is lost, the Ethernet packets within the Virtual Connect domain will be automatically re-routed to the uplink through the redundant path. Such a connection will also help preserve network connectivity if an Ethernet interconnect module fails or is removed.
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| Q4. |
How do you access the Virtual Connect manager? |
| A4. |
The Virtual Connect Manager runs embedded on the Virtual Connect Ethernet module in bay 1 or 2 of the base enclosure and is accessible via the Onboard Administrator's management Ethernet interface through the GUI or CLI. To access the Virtual Connect manager for the first time, you can either login via your web browser to the OA and then select the Virtual Connect manager link, or use the dynamic DNS name printed on the tear-off tag for the Virtual Connect-Enet module in Bay 1 (enter the DNS name in your browser address text field). You can optionally set up a static IP address for the Virtual Connect manager, which will allow you to maintain access to the Virtual Connect manager in the event that it fails over to the Virtual Connect-Enet module in Bay 2.
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| Q5. |
How does the Virtual Connect Manager communicate to other modules in the Virtual Connect domain? |
| A5. |
The Virtual Connect manager uses the management Ethernet network connections to the enclosure's Onboard Administrators. The Virtual Connect manager uses this network to communicate to the Onboard Administrators, Virtual Connect modules, and server blades (via iLO interfaces).
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Management tools |
| Q1. |
Where is the Virtual Connect manager? |
| A1. |
The Virtual Connect manager runs embedded on the Virtual Connect-Ethernet module. This greatly simplifies installation and deployment as a separate management server is not required.
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| Q2. |
Does Virtual Connect depend on HP SIM or other management tools? |
| A2. |
HP Virtual Connect can be used independently from other HP server management tools and is not dependent on external management software. HP Virtual Connect is dependent on features built into the HP Onboard Administrator (OA), integrated Lights Out controller (iLO), and HP server BIOS.
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| Q3. |
How does Virtual Connect work with other HP management tools? |
| A3. |
All of the Virtual Connect capabilities will be accessible via programmatic APIs to other HP management tools (HP SIM, HP Insight Control, HP automation tools), so future versions of these tools will provide integrated views that include Virtual Connect-specific information.
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| Q4. |
How does Virtual Connect impact deployment via RDP and management via SIM? |
| A4. |
A server made available on a network appears completely like a standard server, so it is completely manageable and deployable using the existing HP management tools.
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| Q5. |
Does it support role-based administration? |
| A5. |
Yes, by default, the Virtual Connect manager identifies four unique roles (Virtual Connect domain admin, server, storage, and networking). Each user account can have any combination of privileges (none, one, some, or all). Not selecting any of the user roles when creating a user account will provide read-only access in the web user interface. LDAP role based privileges are also supported.
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