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We have just upgraded our SAN backend with 10 Gbps connectivity and we have a few Windows servers that currently use a 1 Gbps connection, which we would like to upgrade by adding 10 Gbps NICs to. Part of this project involves rolling out VLAN configuration - previously, the entire company network did not use VLANs and was on a single (and quite crowded) /24 network.

My question is, if the new 10 Gbps connection on these servers will only be used for SAN connectivity, but is connected to a layer3 core, should the new NIC installed in the server be on a "server" VLAN, or on the "storage" VLAN?

The layer 3 core switch has a 1.28Tbps backplane but I would assume it doesn't do layer 3 routing at the same speed which leads me towards provisioning the new NICs on the storage VLAN so that only switching is done, not routing.

Are there problems with one (or both?) of these approaches?

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    I'm voting to close this question as off-topic because it's off topic.
    – Wesley
    Apr 10, 2015 at 16:50
  • It seems like maybe you're doing things just for the sake of doing them. What's the driving need or requirement for implementing VLAN's? What's the driving need or requirement for installing the 10Gbe network cards? You state that you don't know if they should be connected to the server network or the storage network which leads me to believe that you really don't know why you're installing them to begin with. If you are going to use the 10Gbe network cards to connect to storage then it follows that you would connect them to your storage VLAN, not your server VLAN.
    – joeqwerty
    Apr 10, 2015 at 17:01
  • To be clear, I'm not saying that I think you're wrong for doing any of this, I'm merely asking what you're intended design goal is and what's driving you to that end? Your question sounds a bit like you may be doing this because you think you should, without having any clear cut reasons or needs for doing it.
    – joeqwerty
    Apr 10, 2015 at 17:01
  • Our load on the storage backend has increased recently due to the addition of a lot of new users, a consultant recommended that upgrading to a 10Gbps backend would be a good future-proof move since we plan to continue to expand.
    – William S.
    Apr 10, 2015 at 17:12
  • @Wesley, how exactly is this question offtopic? Can you explain how I might edit or rephrase the question to improve it?
    – William S.
    Apr 10, 2015 at 17:16

1 Answer 1

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Put it on a dedicated storage-specific VLAN, chances are there won't be a need to route at all if you run all of your storage and servers into the same switches. This gives you the option to monitor JUST the SAN traffic and potentially to traffic-manage it if needed.

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