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5
Basic configuration and preparation for installation
The high-availability architecture of the ES NAS
To fully benefit from the high-availability capabilities with multiple-port and multiple-host support of the
ES NAS, the overall network layout (including the ES NAS, host servers, switches, etc) must be configured
in a way that eliminates single points of failure. The following is an example of a network configuration
that supports high availability architecture:
1
st
-tier failover implementation (server cluster): Deploy at least 2 host servers (with VMware
ESXi or Microsoft Windows Hyper-V installed) to form a failover cluster so that if one server fails,
the other can assume its role.
2
nd
-tier failover implementation (redundant network switches): The above figure shows a
configuration with two hosts connecting to two Ethernet switches - both of which provide
connections to both controllers.
3
rd
-tier failover implementation (dual-controller ES NAS): The dual-controller ES NAS has two
active controllers that can be used simultaneously for load balancing and failover. With these
three implementations, there is no single point of failure between the storage and servers.
4
th
-tier failover implementation (RAID): Using appropriate RAID configurations can protect
against data loss if a disk fails. The ES NAS is built with ZFS’s RAID scheme.
5
th
-tier failover implementation (dual redundant power supplies): Both power supplies provide
power concurrently to ensure that if one fails the system will remain online.
