HP ProLiant BL660c HP BladeSystem c-Class architecture - Page 23

Virtualized network infrastructure with Virtual Connect technology

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Figure 13. The main menu on the Insight Display IT technicians and administrators can access the Onboard Administrator in any of three ways: through the Insight Display, through a web graphical user interface (GUI), or through a command-line interface (CLI). A fourth access method is available for the c3000 enclosure: The optional c3000 KVM Module provides the Onboard Administrator CLI, Insight Display, and KVM console connections to all the server blades in the enclosure. Virtualized network infrastructure with Virtual Connect technology HP BladeSystem c-Class is designed from the ground up integrating Virtual Connect technology. The OnBoard Administrator, the c-Class PCI-Express mezzanine cards, the embedded NICs, and iLO 2 all provide functionality to support the Virtual Connect technology. The tight integration of the Virtual Connect capability into the HP BladeSystem c-Class infrastructure makes its functionality highly effective and seamless. Virtual Connect implements server-edge virtualization: It puts an abstraction, or virtualization, layer between the servers and the external networks so that the local area network (LAN) and storage area network (SAN) see a pool of servers rather than an individual server (see Figure 14) behind a physical port. Specific interconnect modules-Virtual Connect modules-provide the virtualized connections so that a server can be replaced or a workload moved from one server to another without disrupting the LAN and SAN configurations. This enables the system administrator to be self-sufficient - to move workloads, add servers, or replace servers without needing help from the network and storage administrators. Once the LAN and SAN connections are made to the Virtual Connect modules to pool the servers, the system administrator uses a Virtual Connect Manager User Interface to create a server identity. The Virtual Connect Manager (VC Manager) creates a server-specific I/O profile, consisting of unique media access control (MAC) addresses for all NICs and World Wide Names (WWN) for all host bus adapters (HBAs). Then, the VC Manager replaces each server's default MAC and WWN addresses with the addresses created in the server-specific I/O profile. These profiles are managed locally. If any changes need to occur (for instance, if a server blade needs to be upgraded), the system administrator can swap out the server blade, and the Virtual Connect Manager will manage the NIC and HBA address changes. 23

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Figure 13.
The main menu on the Insight Display
IT technicians and administrators can access the Onboard Administrator in any of three ways: through
the Insight Display, through a web graphical user interface (GUI), or through a command-line
interface (CLI). A fourth access method is available for the c3000 enclosure: The optional c3000
KVM Module provides the Onboard Administrator CLI, Insight Display, and KVM console connections
to all the server blades in the enclosure.
Virtualized network infrastructure with Virtual Connect technology
HP BladeSystem c-Class is designed from the ground up integrating Virtual Connect technology. The
OnBoard Administrator, the c-Class PCI-Express mezzanine cards, the embedded NICs, and iLO 2 all
provide functionality to support the Virtual Connect technology. The tight integration of the Virtual
Connect capability into the HP BladeSystem c-Class infrastructure makes its functionality highly
effective and seamless.
Virtual Connect implements server-edge virtualization: It puts an abstraction, or virtualization, layer
between the servers and the external networks so that the local area network (LAN) and storage area
network (SAN) see a pool of servers rather than an individual server (see Figure 14) behind a
physical port. Specific interconnect modules—Virtual Connect modules—provide the virtualized
connections so that a server can be replaced or a workload moved from one server to another without
disrupting the LAN and SAN configurations. This enables the system administrator to be self-sufficient
– to move workloads, add servers, or replace servers without needing help from the network and
storage administrators.
Once the LAN and SAN connections are made to the Virtual Connect modules to pool the servers, the
system administrator uses a Virtual Connect Manager User Interface to create a server identity. The
Virtual Connect Manager (VC Manager) creates a server-specific I/O profile, consisting of unique
media access control (MAC) addresses for all NICs and World Wide Names (WWN) for all host bus
adapters (HBAs). Then, the VC Manager replaces each server’s default MAC and WWN addresses
with the addresses created in the server-specific I/O profile. These profiles are managed locally. If
any changes need to occur (for instance, if a server blade needs to be upgraded), the system
administrator can swap out the server blade, and the Virtual Connect Manager will manage the NIC
and HBA address changes.
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