Share via

Network Configuration

  • Article

Applies To: Windows Storage Server 2008 R2

Typical storage network configurations include using two, four, or six network adapters. All storage network configurations must include one dedicated network for heartbeat and one or more networks for file, high availability (HA) file server, or iSCSI access. The heartbeat network can be implemented by using a crossover cable that is supplied by your storage appliance vendor.

Important

Some network configurations may be specific to your storage appliance hardware. Consult the documentation that is provided by your storage appliance vendor for specific information as applicable.

Failover clustering considerations

When you configure storage appliances for failover clustering, we recommend that you have one separate network interface for cluster communications and one or more network interfaces for public communications.

You can use NIC teaming, but only for public network interfaces. You cannot use NIC teaming with Microsoft iSCSI Software Target.

When you configure failover clustering for Microsoft iSCSI Software Target, you can take advantage of multiple public network interfaces by using Microsoft Multipath I/O (MPIO) to provide load balancing and path redundancy. For example, use MPIO with storage appliances that are connected to shared storage arrays by using a dual-path configuration such as attached SCSI storage, Fibre Channel, or iSCSI interconnects.

Automatic configuration

Network settings are automatically configured in Windows Storage Server 2008 R2 if your storage appliances use DHCP to assign IP addresses.

Manual configuration

Note

The following steps are required only in circumstances where you are configuring networking for a remote storage appliance. These steps are unnecessary if you can log on to the storage appliance directly or if your storage appliances are assigned IP addresses.

You can use netsh commands to remotely configure addresses, default gateways, DNS servers, and Windows Internet Name Service (WINS) servers for a network interface on a storage appliance. After this initial configuration, you can connect remotely to the server and complete other configuration and management tasks.

You can run netsh commands at the command prompt in Windows Storage Server 2008 R2 or for the netsh interface IP context. In Windows Storage Server 2008 R2, you must type netsh interface ip before you type the commands and parameters that are shown in the following section.

Setting an IP address

The following syntax configures an IP address and a default gateway on a specified interface.

Syntax

netsh interface ip set address [name=]InterfaceName [source=]{dhcp | static [addr=]IPAddress[mask=]SubnetMask [gateway=]{none | DefaultGateway [[gwmetric=]GatewayMetric]}}

Parameters

  • [ name =] InterfaceName Required. Specifies the name of the interface for which you want to configure address and gateway information. The InterfaceName parameter must match the name of the interface as specified in Network Connections. If InterfaceName contains spaces, use quotation marks around the text (for example, "Interface Name").
  • [ source=]{ dhcp| static[ addr=] IPAddress[ mask=] SubnetMask[ gateway=]{ none| DefaultGateway[[ gwmetric=] GatewayMetric]}} Required. Specifies whether the IP address to configure originates from a Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol (DHCP) server or is static. If the address is static, IPAddress specifies the address to configure, and SubnetMask specifies the subnet mask for the IP address being configured. If the address is static, you must also specify whether you want to leave the current default gateway (if any) in place or configure one for the address. If you configure a default gateway, DefaultGateway specifies the IP address of the default gateway to be configured, and GatewayMetric specifies the metric for the default gateway to be configured.
  • /? Displays Help at the command prompt.

Remarks

  • You can use this command to switch an interface between DHCP configuration and static configuration. If the interface is configured statically, the DNS and WINS server addresses for this interface must also be statically configured.

  • Omitting the DefaultGateway parameter does not clear the gateway configuration, but it preserves any previous configuration.

Examples

netsh interface ip set address name=”Storage Mgmt” source=static addr=11.11.11.11 mask=255.0.0.0

netsh interface ip set address name="Storage Mgmt” gateway=11.11.11.12 gwmetic=0

For more information about the netsh command and how to use it, see Scripting Tools (https://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=137195).

Setting the DNS server address

The following syntax configures a DNS server address for a specified interface.

Syntax

set dns [name=]InterfaceName [source=]{dhcp | static }[addr=]{IP Address | none} [register=]{none | primary | both}

Parameters

  • [ name=] InterfaceName Required. Specifies the name of the interface for which you want to set DNS information. The InterfaceName parameter must match the name of the interface as specified in Network Connections. If InterfaceName contains spaces, use quotation marks around the text (for example, "Interface Name").
  • [ source=]{ dhcp| static } Required. Specifies whether the IP address of the DNS server is configured by DHCP or is static.

Note

If the interface is already statically configured, the static parameter replaces the existing list of DNS server addresses with the list specified in the command.

  • [ addr=]{ IP Address| none } If the IP address is static, IP Address specifies the IP address of the DNS server to configure, and none specifies that the DNS configuration should be removed.

    The [addr] option for configuring a static list of DNS server IP addresses for the specified interface is available only if the [source] is static.

  • [ register=]{ none| primary| both } None specifies whether to disable DNS dynamic update protocol. Primary registers the computer name under the primary DNS suffix only. Both registers the computer name under both the primary DNS suffix as well as under the connection-specific suffix.
  • /? Displays Help at the command prompt.

Examples

set dns name="Storage Mgmt" source=dhcp

set dns "Storage Mgmt" static 10.0.0.1 primary