11 Managing Networks

View the public and private networks that are configured on your Oracle Database Appliance.

• About Network Infrastructure and VLANs on Oracle Database Appliance
  Learn about networks and virtual local area networks (VLANs) on the appliance.
• Viewing Configured Networks and Network Interfaces
  Use the Web Console to display a list of configured networks, network details and interfaces.
• Creating a Network
  Create a new network for the appliance.
• Creating a Non-Bonded Physical Network
  For a non-bonded network configuration, you can create a physical network on the unused physical interface.
• Updating a Network
  Update a network to revise the IP address, subnet mask, gateway, or type of network.
• Deleting a Network
  Delete a configured network.

About Network Infrastructure and VLANs on Oracle Database Appliance

Learn about networks and virtual local area networks (VLANs) on the appliance.

Oracle Database Appliance has two dual-port public network interfaces (either copper or fiber), which are bonded. The network interface is btbond0 in single- and multi-node platforms.

You can only enable one of the interfaces in a bonded network. You can use the bonded network to manage VLANs, or you can break the bond and create two separate physical network interfaces (non-bonded network configuration) in your data center.

Note:

To create a second network, you must configure, or plumb, the initial network as a non-bonded network before deploying the appliance. You cannot use VLANs on a non-bonded network.

Use the Web Console to display all physical and virtual networks. For multi-node systems, the IP addresses for Node 0 and Node 1 cannot be the same.

Virtual Local Area Networks (VLANs)

Oracle Database Appliance supports multiple virtual local area networks (VLANs) on the same network port or bond. VLANs are multiple logical networks that are created from a single physical network switch port, providing network security isolation for multiple workloads that share a common network. For example, application, backup, and management networks. Each VLAN acts as an independent logical network operating with other VLANs over the same physical connection. The VLAN tag associated with the data packet and network define the network. You can create a collection of isolated networks to enhance network security and bandwidth and keep data packets separated.

The network interfaces differ, depending on your Oracle Database Appliance hardware. The VLAN is created on btbond0 in single- and multi-node platforms. In all cases, connections to user domains are through the selected interfaces. A switch that supports tagged VLANs uses VLAN IDs to identify the packet, including to which network the packet belongs.

Note:

To use VLANs with Oracle Database Appliance, you must configure the VLANs before you deploy the appliance. 

The Web Console enables you to create, list, and delete VLANs on the appliance. For multi-node systems, you can use the Web Console to create a VLAN on both nodes of the appliance. To create a VLAN on a specific node, use the command-line interface.

For a bare metal deployment, use the Web Console or odaadmcli commands to manage the following types of VLANs:

• Public: For public access. This is the default public interface.

• Backup: For backup operations.

• Management: For management traffic.

• Custom: For usage defined by the customer. For example, for applications.

The public VLAN is setup when you configure the first network using the command configure-firstnet. You can set up only one public VLAN. Use the command-line interface to create other VLANs. For multi-node systems, the IP addresses for Node 0 and Node 1 cannot be the same. Oracle Database Appliance does not support Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol (DHCP) to provide IP addresses, subnet mask and default gateway.

Non-Bonded Network Configuration

When you plumb the network for deployment, you can choose to use a bonded network, or you can choose to break the bond to create a non-bonded network configuration. The non-bonded network enables you to create a physical network on the unused physical interface.

When you use the command configure first-net to plumb the network as a non-bonded interface, there are two physical network interfaces, em2 and em3. One of the interfaces is for the public network, the second interface is available for you to create a network.

To create a second network, you must configure, or plumb, the initial network as a non-bonded network before deploying the appliance.

Viewing Configured Networks and Network Interfaces

Use the Web Console to display a list of configured networks, network details and interfaces.

1. Click the Appliance tab in the Web Console.
2. Click the Network tab in the left navigation to display a list of configured networks.
   When the appliance is a multi-node system, tabs named Node0 and Node1 appear in the right corner, below the Refresh button. Click a tab to display network details for each node.
   
   Description of the illustration networks_show.png
3. Click Show Interfaces in the upper left corner of the Network page to display a list of network interfaces.
   When the appliance is a multi-node system, tabs named Node0 and Node1 appear in the right corner, below the Refresh button. Click a tab to display the interfaces for each node.
   
   Description of the illustration interfaces_show.png
4. Click Show Networks to go back to the network view.

Creating a Network

Create a new network for the appliance.

When naming a network, you can use alphanumeric characters, dashes (-) and underscores (_). The network name cannot exceed 40 characters and must begin with an alpha character.

1. Click the Appliance tab in the Web Console.
2. Click the Network tab in the left navigation to display a list of configured networks.
3. If the appliance is a multi-node system, the Web Console helps you create the network for both nodes at the same time.
4. Click Create Network in the upper right corner.
5. Enter the network information in the required fields. The Interface field has a drop-down menu with available choices. The Subnet Mask field has a drop-down menu with available choices and a search box. Optionally, enter a Gateway IP address and select an option from the Network Type list. The network type helps to identify if the network is for backup, database, dataguard, management, private, or other. Click Create.
   
   Description of the illustration network_create.png

Creating a Non-Bonded Physical Network

For a non-bonded network configuration, you can create a physical network on the unused physical interface.

If you plumbed the network as a non-bonded interface, you create two physical network interfaces, em2 and em3. One interface is the public network, the second interface is available for you to create a network.

Note:

To create a second network, you must configure, or plumb, the initial network as a non-bonded network before deploying the appliance. You cannot use VLANs on a non-bonded network.

1. Click the Appliance tab in the Web Console.
2. Click the Network tab in the left navigation to display a list of configured networks.
3. If the appliance is a single-node system, click Create Network in the upper right corner. If the appliance is a multi-node system, go to Step 4.
   1. Enter the network information in the required fields. The Interface field has a drop-down menu with available choices. The Subnet Mask field has a drop-down menu with available choices and a search box. Optionally, enter a Gateway IP address and select an option from the Network Type list. The network type helps to identify if the network is for backup, database, dataguard, management, private, or other.
      
      Description of the illustration single_node_nonbonded_network.png
   2. Click Create.
4. If the appliance is a multi-node system, then the Web Console helps you create the network for both nodes at the same time. Click Create Network in the upper right corner.
   1. Enter the network information in the required fields. The Interface field has a drop-down menu with available choices. The Subnet Mask field has a drop-down menu with available choices and a search box. Optionally, enter a Gateway IP address and select an option from the Network Type list. The network type helps to identify if the network is for backup, database, dataguard, management, private, or other.
   2. Click Create.
   
   Description of the illustration multi_node_nonbonded_network.png

Updating a Network

Update a network to revise the IP address, subnet mask, gateway, or type of network.

1. Click the Appliance tab in the Web Console.
2. Click the Network tab in the left navigation to display a list of configured networks.
   When the appliance is a multi-node system, tabs named Node0 and Node1 appear in the right corner, below the Refresh button. Click a tab to display network details for each node.
3. If the appliance is a multi-node system, click Node0 or Node1 to display the node where the network that you want to edit resides.
4. Expand the Actions menu, then click Update for the network that you want to edit.
5. Update the information in the IP Address, Subnet Mask, and Gateway fields and select a network type from the list, as needed, then click Update.
   
   Description of the illustration network_update_type.png

Deleting a Network

Delete a configured network.

1. Click the Appliance tab in the Web Console.
2. Click the Network tab in the left navigation to display a list of configured networks.
   When the appliance is a multi-node system, tabs named Node0 and Node1 appear in the right corner, below the Refresh button. Click a tab to display network details for each node.
3. If the appliance is a multi-node system, click Node0 or Node1 to display the node where the network that you want to delete resides.
4. Expand the Actions menu, then click Delete for the network that you want to delete.
   
   Description of the illustration network_update.png
5. Confirm the action when prompted.