HP Virtual Connect Flex-10 10Gb Ethernet Module for c-Class BladeSystem - Manual (Page 6)

Introduction 6
The Virtual Connect Ethernet modules can also be connected to other devices, such as printers, laptops, rack
servers, and storage devices. To connect to devices other than switches, create a VC network for that device
and only connect uplinks for that network to that device. If you connect uplinks from that network to other
devices, one of the uplinks becomes standby due to the loop avoidance algorithm.
The Virtual Connect FC modules enable connection of the enclosure to Brocade, Cisco, McDATA, or QLogic
data center Fibre Channel switches, but the modules do not appear as switches to the Fibre Channel fabric.
A basic Virtual Connect domain includes a single HP c-Class BladeSystem c7000 Enclosure for a total of 16
servers (or up to 32 servers if the double-dense option is enabled), or a single HP c-Class BladeSystem c3000
Enclosure for a total of eight servers (or up to 16 servers if the double-dense option is enabled). Within the
domain, any server blade can access any LAN or SAN connected to a VC module, and a server blade can
be used as a spare for any server blade within the same enclosure.
By stacking (cabling) the Ethernet modules within the domain and connecting the FC modules to the same set
of FC SANs, every server blade in the domain can be configured to access any external network connection.
With this configuration, the administrator can use Virtual Connect Manager to deploy and migrate a server
blade profile to any server in the Virtual Connect domain without changing external LAN or SAN
configurations.
Using multiple enclosures
Multiple enclosure support enables up to four c7000 enclosures to be managed within a single Virtual
Connect domain for a total of 128 servers, if double-dense support is enabled. Multiple enclosure domains
are not supported on c3000 enclosures. The VC-Enet modules use stacking cables between enclosures so that
network traffic can be routed from any server Ethernet port to any uplink within the VC domain.
By stacking (cabling) the Ethernet modules within the domain, every server blade in the domain can be
configured to access any external network connection. Fibre Channel modules within different enclosures are
each connected directly to the same set of FC SANs. With this configuration, the administrator can use Virtual
Connect Manager to deploy and migrate a server blade profile to any server in the Virtual Connect domain
without changing external LAN or SAN configurations.
Using multiple c7000 enclosures, you can install up to 16 VC-Enet modules and up to 16 VC-FC modules in
the same domain, with a maximum of 8 VC-Enet or 4 VC-FC modules per enclosure.
The management interfaces for all enclosure OAs and VC modules within the same VC domain must be on
the same lightly loaded subnet. The OA IP addresses used must be configured to be static.
Command line overview
The HP Virtual Connect Manager Command Line Interface can be used as an alternative method for
managing the Virtual Connect Manager. Using the CLI can be useful in the following scenarios:
• HP Management Applications (for example, Systems Insight Manager or Insight Control tools) can
query the Virtual Connect Manager for information these tools need to present a complete management
view of HP BladeSystem enclosures and devices. This interface is also used by the Management tools to
execute provisioning and configuration tasks to devices within the enclosure.
• Users can develop tools that utilize Virtual Connect Manager functions for data collection and for
executing provisioning and configuration tasks.
• When no browser is available or you prefer to use a command line interface, you can access
management data and perform configuration tasks.