EqualLogic on M8024: intermittent connection lost.

Ken,

Yes, the two switches must be linked together either with a stacking cable or with ISL (sized to match your data needs). if you have your array plugged into both of them.

Regards,
Joe

Thanks Joe. Is ISL equivalent to LAG?

Yes they are similar in what they do, that is to say they both connect multiple switches together.

Ensure you have spanning tree enabled on the ISL/LAG (both sides), so that each switch can learn the MAC address table of the other one.

Test all your connections, by connecting to each switch via telnet and pinging/traceroute , all the EqualLogic array IP address (Group IP AND all physical eth IP addresses) and host interfaces.

Then telnet/SSH to each array and use the following commands from each member array to test connectivity to all HOST and other members:
This is done from a group prompt after logging into the array.

Ping:
The quotes are needed from the group prompt
Usage: ping "-I "
The sourceIP is the IP address of a specific array ETH port
Note: the above is a Capital eye "I"

Trace route:
GrpName>support traceroute -s [ETH port source IP] [destination IP to traceroute to]
Note, you cannot ping or traceroute to an interface on the same array as you run the commend from.

Ensure you are running the latest versions of the Array FW v5.0.7, there are several fixes the deal with connection issues, see https://www.equallogic.com/support/download.aspx?id=10475 (login required)

Ensure you reviewed and followed the “iSCSI Initiator and Operating System Considerations”, located at the same link as the firmware.

Ensure you have the latest Switch FW and NIC/HBA Drivers installed.

Finally, ensure you have setup a separate VLAN for iSCSI and NOT use the default VLAN even if the switch is dedicated to iSCSI only.

Regards,
Joe

Great info Joe. Will try out on the proper setting.

Have a nice day!

Hi Ken,
I'm Brian and I work on Dell's Virtualization Solutions Engineering team. Check out this reference architecture: http://dell.to/gAGAmn. It is an overall Hyper-V solution, but uses the M8024 and the PS6010XV. There are diagrams on the cabling as well as switch configs in the appendix.

Thanks,
Brian@Dell

"I have intermittent connection issue on EQL PS6010XV on M8024. Is this a must to have ISL between M8024 s/w#1 and #2? Any architecture diagram on M8024?

Thanks.

Ken@Dell"

Hi Ken,

Check out this reference architecture for the 8024 switches with EQL storage. The architecture should be exactly the same as the M8024 switches. The only difference is that your M8024's are blade switches that have internal ports connecting to the servers and external ports connecting to the EQL array. There's not really much difference than that.
http://www.dell.com/downloads/global/products/pwcnt/en/eql-8024f-2-switch.pdf

Also see the latest EQL configuration guide for more details on network topology and configuration best practices.
http://en.community.dell.com/dell-groups/dtcmedia/m/mediagallery/19852516/download.aspx

Hope this helps!