10 GbE Gateway
(sRB-20210G Module) User Manual
Version 2.0
69
Mellanox Technologies
6.6.4.3
Automatic Mode
Automatic is the most permissive mode: traffic is blocked between all 10 GbE gateways that
are members of the same cluster. Each gateway discards all received packets sent by another
gateway that belongs to the same cluster, but passes-on all packets sent by other gateways. It
requires enabled cluster mode.
Automatic is applicable for configurations that consist of two separate Ethernet networks (or
more; up to four if using one IB switch) connected to a single InfiniBand network, and
vice-versa. The 10 GbE gateways pass the traffic between the two remote networks, and at the
same time preventing loops within each cluster.
Figure
6-10. Loop Prevention in Automatic Mode
This mode automatically reacts and adapts to network topology changes, i.e. – when a network
splits or when two networks merge, the loop prevention mechanism is automatically updated
by adding any new 10 GbE gateway that joined the cluster to the gateway blocking list, and by
removing any gateway that left the cluster. Since such changes take time, this mode is less
secure than the Full mode, and temporary loops may form when networks merge or split.
6.6.4.4
Manual Mode
Manual mode is less permissive than Automatic: all traffic between 10 GbE gateways having
the same cluster ID is blocked. There is no need for the gateways to be in a cluster. However,
clusters must be enabled.
This mode is applicable only for configurations where two InfiniBand networks are connected
over Ethernet direct links between the 10 GbE gateways (without any other switch or router
between them). The cluster operates differently in this mode: it does not apply load balancing
to the traffic received from the Ethernet side (assuming it was balanced by the gateways in the
other side). In addition, because of the VAAR packets, the gateways at each side can join the
cluster although they are not directly connected at the Ethernet side.
Ethernet
Ethernet
X
X
InfiniBand
