topic shared cluster ports e0a/e0b in AFF

shared cluster ports e0a/e0b

jlf79 — Wed, 04 Jun 2025 10:55:31 GMT

Hello everyone,

someone know how I can configure intercluster LIFs on shared data ports, on aff220 in metrocluster configuration? On aff220 I have only shared ports e0a and e0b for cluster and intercluster. On technical documentation this use case isn't very clear for me.

Thanks

Re: shared cluster ports e0a/e0b

maffo — Fri, 28 Aug 2020 20:22:45 GMT

hi @jlf79

unfortunately you cannot place Intercluster LIFs on ports e0a/e0b in this configuration if you already use them for Cluster network.
LIFs for replication between the two clusters need to be on a different port connected to the data network shared by the two clusters.

See
https://docs.netapp.com/ontap-9/topic/com.netapp.doc.dot-mcc-inst-cnfg-ip/GUID-79EF4AA4-64A8-47C0-B1AB-2CB70AA41ABF.html:

"Cluster peering can be done on dedicated ports or on data ports. Using dedicated ports provides higher throughput for the cluster peering traffic."

Re: shared cluster ports e0a/e0b

jlf79 — Fri, 28 Aug 2020 21:18:36 GMT

thanks for your answer.

On ontap9 documentation at https://docs.netapp.com/ontap-9/index.jsp?topic=%2Fcom.netapp.doc.dot-cm-cmpr-910%2Fnetwork__port__show.html I've found:

You can configure intercluster LIFs on ports shared with the data network. Doing so reduces the number of ports you need for intercluster networking.

and

on many documents as:

https://www.netapp.com/us/media/tr-4689.pdf (page 12)

For the NetApp AFF A220 and FAS2750, software iWARP is used. These platforms have a fixed number
of network ports. To further enhance the use of network ports for front-end, host-side data access, the
two onboard 10GbE ports, e0a and e0b, that are typically reserved as cluster interfaces are combined.
This feature allows cluster traffic and MetroCluster IP traffic to share the same ports, and the remaining
four network ports can be used for host-side data access.

On this documents is highlighted which ports can be used for intercluster and cluster on aff220:

https://docs.netapp.com/ontap-9/topic/com.netapp.doc.dot-mcc-inst-cnfg-ip/GUID-1233CDE7-5CF3-4BE3-8F39-0618FF35961F.html?cp=11_1_2_2_1_4

I've misunderstood these documents?

Thanks again!

Re: shared cluster ports e0a/e0b

andris — Sat, 29 Aug 2020 20:58:06 GMT

For the AFF A200 in a MetroCluster IP configuration, the e0a/e0b ports are dedicated to "Shared cluster / MetroCluster IP interconnect". Inter-cluster LIFs (LIFs used for SnapMirror traffic between clusters) must be on other ports on the AFF A200.

Re: shared cluster ports e0a/e0b

jlf79 — Sat, 29 Aug 2020 21:50:56 GMT

thanks andris.

I've just create the two ha clusters. Now I need to interconnect them. If I haven't misunderstood I need to assign 2 IPs to each node.

Which ports can I use for this ?

On aff220 I've e0a/e0b, e0c/e0d and e0e/e0f and e0a/e0b used for ha-cluster at the moment.

Re: shared cluster ports e0a/e0b

andris — Sat, 29 Aug 2020 22:57:23 GMT

I'm not really sure what you're asking about at this point. Are you referring to the network connectivity between the two DR sites of your MetroCluster IP configuration or are you referring to peering with another cluster?

I would recommend you create a technical case for formal support.

Re: shared cluster ports e0a/e0b

Fabian1993 — Wed, 02 Sep 2020 09:30:48 GMT

For the Cluster Peering beetween the two HA-Pairs, you have to create InterCluster LIFs, This LIFs can be reside on e0c,e0d,e0e,e0f or on a LACP or on a VLAN whatever. And you can also use the named Ports for Front Traffic (Data).

That is the meaning of Shared Data Port....

Re: shared cluster ports e0a/e0b

jlf79 — Tue, 08 Sep 2020 18:03:23 GMT

I'm using e0a/e0b for local cluster and Metrocluster. I had to create the DR group for the peering cluster first using e0e and e0f (my data ports). So I've created a metrocluster.

Now I've another doubt about the use of data ports for iscsi, nfs, cifs.

I would use always the same ports (e0e and e0f) but isn't clear for me how I can separate the traffic (iscsi_a, iscsi_b, nfs, cifs) because the physical interface was already used. I can create a svm but I can't use a vlan for it; also the GUi (9.7) allow me choose only the IP but I don't have find where set the vlan.

Should I use different ipspaces ?

Thanks

Re: shared cluster ports e0a/e0b

Fabian1993 — Mon, 21 Sep 2020 06:55:27 GMT

On physical Ports you can create Link Aggreation Groups (LACP, etc) on this or without this you can create vlans. Also for each Traffice Group you have to build a Broadcast Domain.

For easy way switchback to the Classic Version..

Maybe you go to the learningcenter to view some Basic Videos about how Data Ontap Works.