So after a couple of days without a reply I'm starting to think that what I'm trying to do is not possible, am I going about this the wrong way?  If so, then what would be the best way to use a couple of 5424s to switch iSCSI traffic on some ports and make the rest part of our main LAN?

Anybody?

Okay, so here is my stab at this, will this config set on both switches do what I want it to?

console# sh ru
spanning-tree mode rstp
interface range ethernet all
spanning-tree portfast
exit
interface range ethernet all
flowcontrol on
exit
port jumbo-frame
vlan database
vlan 2
exit
interface range ethernet g(13-20)
switchport access vlan 2
exit
interface port-channel 1
switchport access vlan 2
exit
interface vlan 2
name "iSCSI traffic"
exit
interface range ethernet g(21-24)
channel-group 2 mode on
exit
iscsi target port 860 address 0.0.0.0
iscsi target port 3260 address 0.0.0.0
iscsi target port 9876 address 0.0.0.0
iscsi target port 20002 address 0.0.0.0
iscsi target port 20003 address 0.0.0.0
iscsi target port 25555 address 0.0.0.0
no iscsi enable
interface vlan 1
ip address 192.168.0.xxx 255.255.255.0
exit
ip default-gateway 192.168.0.1
username xxxxxxxxxxxxx password ffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffff level 15 encrypted
snmp-server community Dell_Network_Manager rw view DefaultSuper
sntp client enable vlan 1






Default settings:
Service tag: XXXXXXX

SW version 2.0.0.43 (date  02-Sep-2010 time  09:01:52)

Gigabit Ethernet Ports
=============================
no shutdown
speed 1000
duplex full
negotiation
flow-control off
mdix auto
no back-pressure

interface vlan 1
interface port-channel 1 - 8

spanning-tree
spanning-tree mode STP

qos basic
qos trust cos
console#

I hope someone can help me.

Call-in, did you ever get this setup to work?  I'm tasked with setting up something similar in my environment for use with a NetApp filer, but I'm having trouble finding guidance on the configuration.

Joespower,

We can help with any questions you might have.  Can you provide more specific information on what you are configuring and what hardware is involved?

Thanks Willy,

I have two 5424 switches that I'm going to use as my SAN.  Originally, we thought we were going to be purchasing an Equillogic PS6100, so we set these up as pure iSCSI switches with a LAG and didn't even bother with a port for web-based config.  In the end, our applications dictated that we needed a filer that supported multiple protocols, so we went with the NetApp 2240-2.  Now, I have to reconfigure these switches to support both iSCSI and NFS traffic, I'm assuming on seperate VLANs with both VLANs utilizing the LAG.  I initially thought about using all ports to do either iSCSI or NFS depending on the VMs on a given host, but I can't find any config examples like that.  I have networking experience, but I definately feel like I'm in over my head on this one, so any advice is welcome.  Here is a picture of what I assume the end result should be:

And here is the current config from back when we were looking to do pure iSCSI:

spanning-tree mode rstp
interface port-channel 1
spanning-tree portfast
exit
interface range ethernet all
spanning-tree portfast
exit
interface port-channel 1
flowcontrol on
exit
interface range ethernet all
flowcontrol on
exit
port jumbo-frame
vlan database
vlan 100
exit
interface range ethernet g(1-20)
switchport access vlan 100
exit
interface port-channel 1
switchport access vlan 100
exit
interface vlan 100
name "SAN VLAN"
exit
interface range ethernet g(21-24)
channel-group 1 mode on
exit
iscsi target port 9876 address 0.0.0.0
iscsi target port 20002 address 0.0.0.0
iscsi target port 20003 address 0.0.0.0
iscsi target port 25555 address 0.0.0.0
no iscsi enable
hostname SAN2

So given these, what changes should I make...?

Thanks for the quick response Willy...

I have seen the article that you refer to linked many times in this forum, and its quite helpful.  Also, your post does a good job of describing how to configure the picture I sent.  There is another alternative though that might be more appealing to us, and I can't find any instructions on how to achieve it here.  See, the inherent problem with the picture I sent is that your VM hosts would each have to have 2 ports for NFS traffic and 2 ports for iSCSI traffic (2 protocols across 2 switches), but what if I only have 2 ports available per host for the SAN?  Is it possible to to group up the first 18 ports into 2 VLANs such that you have a VLAN for NFS **AND** a VLAN for iSCSI on a given port?  The traffic would still be segregated and could have different configuration options, and I would need only 2 physical NICs for SAN per host.  If this is possible, how would I accomplish it, and wouldn't I have to optimize iSCSI in this scenario? See the picture...

Also, feel free to talk me out of doing it this way if you foresee me having problems...

Here is a good document for Configuring a PowerConnect 5424 or 5448 Switch for use with an iSCSI storage system.

en.community.dell.com/.../configuring-a-powerconnect-5424-or-5448-switch-for-use-with-an-iscsi-storage-system.aspx

I would look at the config on the document above and mold that to the ISCI ports. You would need port jumbo frame, flowcontrol on spanning tree portfast on the ISCI ports.  Then configure the LAG choose Static of Dynamic (LACP).

Creating LAGs – Static Two-port LAG

console> enable

console# configure

console(config)# interface range ethernet g1-2 (adjust for the 4 ports bonding the SAN switches together)

console(config-if)# channel-group 1 mode on

console(config-if)# exit

console(config)#

Creating LAGs – Dynamic LACP LAG

console> enable

console# configure

console(config)# interface range ethernet g1-2

console(config-if)# channel-group 1 mode auto

console(config-if)# exit

console(config)#

On the LAG port-channel or uplinks you will need to create a trunk/general switchport. This will allow multiple VLANs to traverse back and forth between the switches.  Depending on the compatibility of your devices you will use trunk or general.  

Configuring Trunk Ports

console> enable

console# config

console(config)# interface ethernet 1/e5

console(config-if)# switchport mode trunk

console(config-if)# switchport trunk allowed vlan add 2

console(config-if)# end

You can set up the VLAN like this

console> enable

console# config

console(config)# vlan database

console(config-vlan)# vlan 2  (Optional VLAN numbers)

console(config-vlan)# vlan 3

console(config-vlan)# exit

console(config)# interface vlan 2

console(config-if)# name ISCI Traffic  (Optional Naming)

console(config)# interface vlan 3

console(config-if)# name NFS Traffic

Then any ports that you want to connect to VLAN 2 would need this configuration.  You can use the range command for multiple ports. Then a similar set up for the ports in VLAN 3.

Configuring Access Ports

console> enable

console# config

console(config)# interface ethernet 1/e1

console(config-if)# switchport mode access

console(config-if)# switchport access vlan 2

console(config-if)# end

Hope this helps,

Keep us updated if you can.

Here is the config that I've come up with for the first option, with NFS and iSCSI relegated to separate physical ports on the switches.  Remember that in this config, port 19 will remain on VLAN 1 for management.  I'm 99% sure of all of this setup with the exception of creating the trunking LAG and enabling portfast/rstp on it.  Please advise...

RESET SWITCH TO FACTORY

enable
delete startup-config
y
reload
y
y

DO NOT ENTER THE SETUP WIZARD

n

BEGIN PROGRAMMING

enable
configure
hostname SANx

REMOVE ALL VOIP JUNK

voice vlan oui-table remove 00036b
voice vlan oui-table remove 0001e3
voice vlan oui-table remove 000fe2
voice vlan oui-table remove 0060b9
voice vlan oui-table remove 00d01e
voice vlan oui-table remove 00e075
voice vlan oui-table remove 00e0bb
voice vlan oui-table remove 00096e

DISABLE ISCSI OPT

no iscsi enable
no iscsi target port 860
no iscsi target port 3260
no iscsi target port 9876
no iscsi target port 20002
no iscsi target port 20003
no iscsi target port 25555

DO SOME GLOBAL LEVEL CONFIGURATION

spanning-tree mode rstp
port jumbo-frame

CONFIGURE ETH PORTS

interface range ethernet all
spanning-tree portfast
speed 1000
duplex full
flowcontrol on
no port storm-control broadcast enable
exit

CREATE VLAN 2 (UPLINK TO CORE)

vlan database
vlan 2
exit
interface vlan 2
name "CORE UPLINK"
exit

CREATE VLAN 100 (NFS TRAFFIC)

vlan database
vlan 100
exit
interface vlan 100
name "NFS TRAFFIC"
exit

CREATE VLAN 200 (ISCSI TRAFFIC)

vlan database
vlan 200
exit
interface vlan 200
name "ISCSI TRAFFIC"
exit

ASSIGN PORTS TO VLAN 2

interface range ethernet g20
switchport mode access
switchport access vlan 2
exit

ASSIGN PORTS TO VLAN 100

interface range ethernet g(1-8)
switchport mode access
switchport access vlan 100
exit

ASSIGN PORTS TO VLAN 200

interface range ethernet g(11-18)
switchport mode access
switchport access vlan 200
exit

CREATE 4-PORT TRUNKING LAG AND ADD TO VLAN 100 AND 200

interface range ethernet g(21-24)
channel-group 1 mode on
exit
interface port-channel 1
no spanning-tree disable
flowcontrol on
switchport mode trunk
switchport trunk allow vlan add 100 200

ENABLE PORTFAST ON LAG

spanning-tree mode rstp
spanning-tree portfast
exit

SAVE CONFIG AND REBOOT

exit
copy running-config startup-config
reload

You would not enable portfast on the LAG Trunk, that should be with the access mode commands along with flowcontrol.

console(config)# interface range ethernet g(11-18)

console(config-if)# switchport mode access

console(config-if)# switchport access vlan 200

console(config-if)# spanning-tree portfast

console(config-if)# flowcontrol on

On the 4 port LAG do not use any spanning tree commands.

If your vlan traffic is needing to reach to the core you will need trunk/general settings on that port also where VLAN 2 is.

Additional info:

8 Unicast Storm Control

A traffic “storm” occurs when a large outpouring of packets creates excessive network traffic that degrades network performance. Many switches have traffic storm control features that prevent ports from being disrupted by broadcast, multicast, or unicast traffic storms on physical interfaces. These features typically work by discarding network packets when the traffic on an interface reaches a percentage of the overall load (usually 80 percent, by default).

Because iSCSI traffic is unicast traffic and can typically utilize the entire link, it is recommended that you disable unicast storm control on switches that handle iSCSI traffic. However, the use of broadcast and multicast storm control is encouraged.

The following example for Dell PowerConnect 5400 series switch cover disabling Unicast Storm Control on the user specified interfaces responsible for passing iSCSI traffic. They begin assuming the user is in privileged EXEC mode, and disable unicast storm control on local switch port 1.

Dell PowerConnect 5400 Series CLI Example:

# configure

# interface ethernet g1

# no port storm-control include-multicast

# end

Answering you 2nd scenario:

If you have a virtual switch on your VM host you may be able to set up trunk/general mode on both sides where multiple vlans can traverse.  The packets need to be tagged at some point and that is where it gets tricky.  The switchport access mode is what tags traffic for a certain VLAN.  There is not much documentation on this.  That said the setup we have laid out above is the more utilized and recommend option for isolating traffic into different VLANs.

Willy, you are the best!  It would have taken me MUCH longer to get responses like this from Cisco (I know from experience).  I am kind of bummed that I need to buy more NICs, but I can live with it if it means stuff will just work.

Concerning VLAN 2, I see your point.  The purpose of that port will be to replicate data between remote SANs over a 10Mb connection linked to our core switches.  I don't yet know what protocol that replication traffic will require, but lets assume that its just accessing the volumes as NFS shares.  In that case, are you saying I would have to create a trunk between the core switches and the SAN switches and allow only VLAN 100 over that trunk?  

I will try out these suggestions and reply here with any questions/problems...

Again, thanks!!