Figure
/sis/images/colocation-big.png [networking icon]
Contents
The USDC offers high-speed network services, from links to the University network
and the internet to private, un-routable, networks within the data centre for
managing cluster heartbeat connections and private storage networks (fibre-channel
and IP-based).
For both co-located equipment and virtual servers on the private cloud, two types of
networking are available:
- Data Centre Network - The data centre network offers truly
resilient services with no single point of failure within the network
infrastructure; benefiting from dual connections, it helps to protect
against breaks in service. It can also provide private networks between
systems located in the USDC to enable system management, private iSCSI
storage or cluster heartbeat connections for those making use of managed switching.
- Campus Network - Although less resilient than the data centre
network, the campus network allows your VLAN to be extended into the USDC;
your college, department or faculty machines are then physically within the
security of the USDC but logically located in your building.
The network must be selected on a per-rack, or per virtual machine basis. One rack
cannot be connected to both networks to ensure problems cannot be propagated between
the networks, or network loops created.