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Setting up the private network

VCS requires you to setup a private network between the systems that will form part of a cluster.

 To set up the private network

1. Install the required network interface cards (NICs).
2. Connect the VCS private NICs on each system.
3. Use cross-over Ethernet cables (supported only on two systems), or independent hubs, for each VCS communication network. Ensure that power to the hubs comes from separate sources. On each system, use two independent network cards to provide redundancy.

   During the process of setting up heartbeat connections, note that a chance for data corruption exists if a failure removes all communications between the systems and still leaves the systems running and capable of accessing shared storage.

   Private network setups: two-node and four-node clusters

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4. Test network connections by temporarily assigning network addresses and use telnet or ping to verify communications.

   LLT uses its own protocol, and does not use TCP/IP. Therefore, to ensure the private network connections are used only for LLT communication and not for TCP/IP traffic, unplumb and unconfigure the temporary addresses after testing.

   The installvcs program configures the private network in the cluster during installation.

   See Installing and configuring VCS.

   More information about configuring LLT for the private network links is in the manual installation chapter.

   See Manually installing and configuring VCS.

Using network switches

You can use network switches instead of hubs.