Configuring VLAN

Consider these guidelines and tasks before you configure a virtual local area network (VLAN).

Following are the general guidelines before configuring a VLAN:
  • Virtual local area network (VLAN) tagging is supported for Ethernet-based traffic.
  • VLAN provides network traffic separation at the layer 2 level for transport.
  • VLAN tagging by default is disabled for any IP address of a node port. You can use the command-line interface (CLI) to optionally set a VLAN ID for port IP addresses.
  • To prevent connectivity issues when a VLAN ID is configured for the IP addresses that are used for host attachment, appropriate VLAN settings on the Ethernet network and servers must also be properly configured.
  • A VLAN ID can be configured for IPv4 addresses and IPv6 addresses of Ethernet ports.
  • The same VLAN ID can be configured for all the Ethernet port IP addresses, or a different VLAN ID can be configured on each Ethernet port IP address.
  • To ensure reliable connectivity to storage during a node failure, configure the same VLAN ID on the local and failover port on two nodes of an I/O group.
  • If different VLAN IDs are set for local and failover port on two nodes of an I/O group, configure both VLAN IDs on the Ethernet switch ports. By doing this, a failover of IP addresses from a failing node to a surviving node succeeds.
  • After VLAN is configured, changes to the VLAN settings disrupt traffic to or from those ports.
  • Different VLAN configurations on different ports but with the same subnet on the ports is not supported.

Configuring VLAN for hosts

Virtual local area network (VLAN) tagging is supported for Ethernet-based traffic.

  • Setting VLAN tags for host attachment sessions that are already configured with a system that is running software before version 7.4.0 is a disruptive process.
  • To configure VLAN tags for existing host attachment sessions:
    • Configure VLAN on host ports that are used for Ethernet connectivity.
    • Configure all intervening switches with appropriate VLAN tags according to port connectivity.
    • Configure system ports with appropriate VLAN tags.
  • If VLAN tagging needs to be done without disrupting I/Os from hosts, the host should have multiple ports. Multipath drivers on hosts must be correctly configured with multiple Ethernet sessions to each system port. Then, when you configure VLANs, sessions must be brought down one at a time so that I/Os can continue through alternative paths to the system. Depending on switch connectivity, this process might not be possible.

Configuring VLAN ID for iSCSI

You can use management GUI and the command-line interface (CLI) to configure a virtual local area network (VLAN) ID for a node port IP address in multiple ways.

Using the management GUI
Complete these steps to configure VLAN tags on existing host sessions:
  1. On the hosts, configure VLAN on the host ports that are used for Ethernet-based connections. Consult the appropriate host documentation to complete this step.
  2. On all intervening switches, configure the switches with the VLAN tags per port connectivity. Consult the appropriate switch documentation to complete this step.
  3. Verify that the port on which you are configuring VLAN tags is used for host attachment. In the management GUI, select Settings > Network > Ethernet Ports. Ensure that Yes is displayed in the host attach column for the selected port. If No is displayed, right-click the port and select Modify iSCSI hosts and select Enabled.
  4. Configure ports on the system with appropriate VLAN tags by completing these steps:
    1. In the management GUI, select Settings > Network > Ethernet Ports.
    2. Right-click the port on which to configure VLAN and select Manage IP Addresses.
    3. On Manage IP Addresses page, select Add IP Address. Enter the following information for the IP address that you are adding to the selected port:
      IP address
      Enter the IP address to associate with the selected port.
      Type
      Select the IP protocol version of the IP address.
      Subnet Mask or Prefix
      Enter the subnet mask for the IPv4 addresses or enter the prefix for IPv6 addresses.
      VLAN
      Enter the corresponding VLAN tag that this IP address belongs to.
      Portset
      Select the name or ID of the portset where the portset type is Host Attachment.
    4. Click Save.
    5. If you are updating an existing IP address, select the IP address and select Edit from the overflow menu. Enter the new VLAN tag in the VLAN field. Click Save.
  5. After you configure VLAN settings for host attachment, ensure that you set the priority flow control (PFC) setting for the host attachment traffic.
    Note: If you are sharing the same port for different types of traffic, then PFC and Enhanced Transmission Selection (ETS) settings must be configured.
Using the command-line interface
  1. To configure a VLAN ID along with a port IPv4 and IPv6 address to a specified Ethernet port, use the -vlan parameter in the mkip command, as in the following command-line interface (CLI) command:
    mkip -node node_name | node_id -port port_id -ip ipaddr 
-prefix prefix -vlan vlan_id
    where node_name | node_id specifies the name or ID of the node that is being configured, ipaddr is the IPv4 or IPv6 address for the Ethernet port, prefix is subnet prefix for IPv4 or IPv6, port_id specifies the Ethernet port ID. The -vlan parameter sets the virtual local area network (VLAN) ID to the value specified by vlan_id variable.
  2. To remove the VLAN ID and the IP address from a node Ethernet port, enter the following command:
    rmip ip_address_id
    where ip_address_id specifies the name of the IP address. To list the valid values for the IP address ID, enter the lsip command.