Network Cable Connections; Network Configuration Overview; Controller Network Interface Ports - Dell EqualLogic FS7500 Installation And Setup

4 Network Cable Connections

Before you connect each FS7500 Controller to the network hardware, you must set up the required network
infrastructure and connect each FS7500 Controller to the networks used in the NAS service.

Network Configuration Overview

The EqualLogic FS7500 requires three networks:
• Client network – Used for client access to the NFS exports and CIFS shares hosted by the NAS service.
The recommended configuration is four client network connections for each controller.
• SAN network – Used for access between the PS Series group (SAN) and the NAS nodes. The
recommended configuration is four SAN network connections for each controller.
• Internal network – Used for communication between the NAS nodes. The recommended configuration is
five internal network connections for each controller.
For security reasons, the internal network is usually a private network. The client network must be separate from
the SAN and from the internal network.
An FS7500 Controller has three four-port NICs, plus a single network interface port in the lower left corner of
the back panel. These ports are dedicated to specific networks:
• The ports in the two top NICs and the single port are only for SAN and internal network connections.
• The ports in the bottom NIC are only for client network connections.

Controller Network Interface Ports

Figure 33 shows the network interface ports on the controller. Table 13 describes their functions.
37