Public networks communicate outside the cluster. Consider the following points when you plan your public network configuration:
Separation of public and private network – Public networks and the private network (cluster interconnect) must use separate adapters, or you must configure tagged VLAN on tagged-VLAN capable adapters and VLAN-capable switches to use the same adapter for both the private interconnect and the public network.
Alternatively, create virtual NICs on the same physical interface and assign different virtual NICs to the private and public networks.
Minimum – All cluster nodes must be connected to at least one public network. Public-network connections can use different subnets for different nodes.
Maximum – You can have as many additional public-network connections as your hardware configuration allows.
Scalable services – All nodes that run a scalable service must either use the same subnet or set of subnets or use different subnets that are routable among themselves.
Logical addresses – Each data-service resource group that uses a logical address must have a hostname specified for each public network from which the logical address can be accessed. For additional information about data services and resources, also see the Oracle Solaris Cluster Concepts Guide .
IPv4 – Oracle Solaris Cluster software supports IPv4 addresses on the public network.
IPv6 – Oracle Solaris Cluster software supports IPv6 addresses on the public network for both failover and scalable data services.
IPMP groups – Each public-network adapter that is used for data-service traffic must belong to an IP network multipathing (IPMP) group. If a public-network adapter is not used for data-service traffic, you do not have to configure it in an IPMP group.
Unless there are one or more non-link-local IPv6 public network interfaces in the public network configuration, the scinstall utility automatically configures a multiple-adapter IPMP group for each set of public-network adapters in the cluster that uses the same subnet. These groups are link-based with transitive probes.
If the configuration contains any non-link-local IPv6 public network interfaces, you must manually configure in IPMP groups all interfaces that will be used for data-service traffic. You can configure the IPMP groups either before or after the cluster is established.
The scinstall utility ignores adapters that are already configured in an IPMP group. You can use probe-based IPMP groups or link-based IPMP groups in a cluster. Probe-based IPMP groups, which test the target IP address, provide the most protection by recognizing more conditions that might compromise availability.
If any adapter in an IPMP group that the scinstall utility configures will not be used for data-service traffic, you can remove that adapter from the group.
For guidelines on IPMP groups, see Chapter 2, About IPMP Administration, in Administering TCP/IP Networks, IPMP, and IP Tunnels in Oracle Solaris 11.2 . To modify IPMP groups after cluster installation, follow the guidelines in How to Administer IP Network Multipathing Groups in a Cluster in Oracle Solaris Cluster System Administration Guide and procedures in Chapter 3, Administering IPMP, in Administering TCP/IP Networks, IPMP, and IP Tunnels in Oracle Solaris 11.2 .
Local MAC address support – All public-network adapters must use network interface cards (NICs) that support local MAC address assignment. Local MAC address assignment is a requirement of IPMP.
local-mac-address setting – The local-mac-address? variable must use the default value true for Ethernet adapters. Oracle Solaris Cluster software does not support a local-mac-address? value of false for Ethernet adapters.
For more information about public-network interfaces, see Oracle Solaris Cluster Concepts Guide .