Combined Provisioning and Data Network, and a Separate Management Network

Figure 2–3 Combined Provisioning and Data Network, and a Separate Management Network

For this configuration:

• The combined provisioning and data network reduces system and network security

• The data network must use the N1 System Manager DHCP service

The N1 System Manager DHCP service must be the only DHCP service on the data network.

The following list summarizes the connectivity requirements for the combined data and provisioning network and the separate management network configuration.

• Management Server

  The management server should provide connectivity to the provisioning and data network and to the separate management network as follows:

  • ETH0 connects the management server to the corporate network to provide external access to the management server. The management server ETH0 IP address, netmask, and gateway should be configured to meet your corporate environment connectivity requirements. DNS configuration is performed during the N1 System Manager configuration process.

    ETH0 should be a 1-Gbit NIC interface.

  • ETH1 connects the management server to the provisioning and data network and should be on the same switch and network as the ETH0 connections of the provisionable servers. The management server ETH1 IP address, netmask, and gateway can be configured to support hundreds of provisionable servers. No devices other than the management server and the provisionable servers should reside on the data and provisioning network.

    ETH1 should be a 1–Gbit NIC interface.

  • ETH2 connects the management server to the management network and should be on the same switch and network as the management port connections of the provisionable servers. The management server connection is not required to be on the same switch as the management port connections of the provisionable servers as long as connectivity to the provisionable server's management port is provided. The management server ETH2 IP address, netmask, and gateway should be configured to enable connectivity to the provisionable server's management port IP addresses. ETH2 should be a 100-megabit NIC interface.

  • The management server mail service enables ALOM architecture provisionable servers to send hardware monitoring information to the N1 System Manager over the management network.

  • The management server DHCP service allocates IP addresses to the provisionable servers for loading operating systems.

• Provisionable Server

  Each provisionable server should provide connectivity to the management network and to the combined data and provisioning network as follows:

  • The management port connects the provisionable server to the management network and should be on the same network as the ETH2 connection of the management server. The provisionable server management port connection is not required to be on the same switch as the ETH2 connection of the management server as long as connectivity to the management server ETH2 port is provided.

    The management port should be a 100-megabit connection.

  • ETH0 connects the provisionable server to the data and provisioning network to enable deployment of an operating system to the provisionable server, and to provide external corporate network access to the provisionable server. The provisionable server ETH0 connection must be on the same network as the ETH1 connection of the management server.

    ETH0 should be a 1-Gbyte connection.