Network-Attached Configurations - Dell PowerVault MD3800i Series Deployment Manual

Figure 4. Two Hosts Connected in a Dual-Controller Configuration

Network-Attached Configurations

You can also cable the host servers to the RAID controller module iSCSI ports through industry-standard
10G Ethernet switches. An iSCSI configuration that uses Ethernet switches is frequently referred to as an
IP SAN. By using an IP SAN, the PowerVault MD3800i and MD3820i series storage array can support up to
64 hosts simultaneously. This configuration supports either single or dual path data configurations and
either single or dual RAID controller modules.
The following figure shows up to 64 stand-alone servers attached (using multiple sessions) to a single
RAID controller module through a network. Hosts that have a second Ethernet connection to the
network allow two separate physical paths for each host, which ensures full redundancy if one of the
paths fails. It is recommended you use two switches for more redundancy. However, single switch
configuration is also supported.
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