Cabling Your Blade Cluster Hardware 27
Cabling the Private Network
The private (heartbeat) network is used for sharing cluster health and status 
information between the cluster nodes. Each cluster node connects to the 
private network through the second embedded NIC port on the server 
module system board. The second NIC port connects to the internal 
connections in the system chassis to the second Ethernet switch module or 
the associated port in the corresponding Gigabit pass-through module. The 
Gigabit Ethernet switch module or Gigabit pass-through module is 
connected internally to the private network-configured Gigabit Ethernet 
switch module in the private network or the corresponding port on the 
corresponding Gigabit Ethernet pass-through module.
  NOTE: It is recommended that you configure the second NIC port on each server 
module for the private network.
The Gigabit Ethernet pass-through module connectors correspond directly to 
the server module number. For example, server module 2 is connected to port 
2 on the Gigabit Ethernet pass-through module. To create a private network 
between server module 2 and server module 4 (see Figure 1-1) using a Gigabit 
pass-through module, connect a standard Ethernet cable to port 2 and port 4 
on the Gigabit Ethernet pass-through module.
Table 2-2 provides a cable connection matrix for configuring the private 
network using a Dell PowerConnect™ Ethernet switch or Gigabit Ethernet 
pass-through modules in your PowerEdge server enclosure.
Table 2-2. Cabling the Private Network
Module Type Cluster Configuration Private Network Configuration
Ethernet switch 
module
Two or more nodes in 
one PowerEdge server 
enclosure.
The private network is established using 
internal connections in the system 
chassis.
Two or more nodes in 
two PowerEdge server 
enclosures.
1
Identify the Ethernet switch module on 
each PowerEdge server enclosure that is 
connected to the private network-
configured adapters on each server 
module.
2
Connect a standard Ethernet cable from 
the appropriate switch on system 1 to 
the appropriate switch on system 2.
book.book  Page 27  Monday, December 31, 2007  3:41 PM