FreeNAS config with 2 NICs connecting to different networks

[matadasm]

I posted this to the FreeNAS 7 forums but got no answers. I think it might be the same issue in FreeNAS 8, so I'm posting here as well:

I have a FreeNAS machine that's been working fine for me for a while, it has 0.7.2 Sabanda (revision 5543) running. It has 1 NIC in it that does everything - connects to the network, serves NFS/AFP/SMB shares, etc. I added a second NIC, and that seems to work fine as well. That NIC is connecting to a different network. What I want to do is the following - use NIC1 for http configuration/ admin (the web interface), SMB/AFP/SSH/NFS/etc. NIC2 should be the webserver for HTTP/HTTPS access to files. So, in other words, if I connect to nic1name.domain.com it should take me to the web admin interface, and if I try to SSH to nic1name.domain.com it should let me connect. This part works now. Then if I connect to nic2name.domain.com it should take me to the HTTP server to a specific directory (set in the webserver admin settings) where I can have a webpage, files, etc.

Is this possible? If not, is there any variant of this that you can imagine is possible, using different ports or something?

As a small note, what I've found is that if I turn on the second NIC and get it an address via DHCP, the machine stops responding to the first. So once I plug in the cable for NIC2, the machine stops responding to any requests (SSH/HTTP/etc) on NIC1. Any thoughts?

Thanks.

 

[jazzpilot]

Have you made any progress on your above configuration? I'm interested in the same dual NIC configuration, but I want one NIC as the management interface and the other NIC for dedicated iSCSI connectivity to my Windows Servers. Likewise haven't seen any documentation on how to do this. Once that's going, I want to add at 3rd NIC using still one for management and two LAGG'd for additional bandwidth. Any guidance would be appreciated.

 

[matadasm]

Nope, no progress.

 

[TC1]

Have you made any progress on your above configuration? I'm interested in the same dual NIC configuration, but I want one NIC as the management interface and the other NIC for dedicated iSCSI connectivity to my Windows Servers. Likewise haven't seen any documentation on how to do this. Once that's going, I want to add at 3rd NIC using still one for management and two LAGG'd for additional bandwidth. Any guidance would be appreciated.

I'm also interested in this configuration, I do this currently with a $$$$$ Dell Equalogic SAN at work. Ideally you want one NIC dedicated to management and one or more seperate NICs on a different subnet for iSCSI traffic.

Anyone try this yet?

 

[jazzpilot]

I'm really surprised no one has responded to this. Seems like it shouldn't be that difficult to configure. Actually, i was just thinking about it and thought perhaps there would be info in the FreeBSD forums. Another thought, I did notice in 8RC1 that you can configure the web interface for a specific IP - this would lead me to think that you could configure the web interface on one IP/subnet and data could be on another. BTW, I also have several Equallogic boxes and they're configured just as yours. Let me know if you find out anything.

 

[Leigh]

I'm also interested in this configuration, I do this currently with a $$$$$ Dell Equalogic SAN at work. Ideally you want one NIC dedicated to management and one or more seperate NICs on a different subnet for iSCSI traffic.

Anyone try this yet?

I already use this configuration, and it works fine.
You should configure in the Portal-Settings only the IP-Address from the iSCSI-Nic.
Just use an Server Adapter for this configuration, and you will get the best results in speed.

I'm really surprised no one has responded to this. Seems like it shouldn't be that difficult to configure. Actually, i was just thinking about it and thought perhaps there would be info in the FreeBSD forums. Another thought, I did notice in 8RC1 that you can configure the web interface for a specific IP - this would lead me to think that you could configure the web interface on one IP/subnet and data could be on another. BTW, I also have several Equallogic boxes and they're configured just as yours. Let me know if you find out anything.

@ jazzpilot

just reroute your management interface to an different port then the web-services.

 

[TC1]

I already use this configuration, and it works fine.
You should configure in the Portal-Settings only the IP-Address from the iSCSI-Nic.
Just use an Server Adapter for this configuration, and you will get the best results in speed.



@ jazzpilot

just reroute your management interface to an different port then the web-services.

Thanks for the info, it's very much appreciated.

 

[jgreco]

DHCP is not designed to deal intelligently with broken network setups. When you bring up the second network, the default route is changed to point out that most recently configured network, and unless you're using real IP addresses and loose (or no) ingress filtering on your router, this hopelessly screws you. Most likely you've got NAT running on one (or both) networks, so it all goes to heck. You've created a broken network topology and then you wonder why it doesn't work.

So what you do is to stop assigning addresses to the FreeNAS box with DHCP. (Or fix your network.)

You can configure as many interfaces as you like, as long as you do it properly. FreeNAS (and FreeBSD) by default support a single default route, but in most cases this isn't a serious problem as long as you remain aware of the limitations of your network topology.

 

[jazzpilot]

I have this working as well in RC2 now

Thanks for the info, it's very much appreciated.

I'm using the onboard FE nic for mgmt (192.168.x.x/24) and an Intel Quad Gig nic configured with LACP to one LAGG interface (10.1.1.x/24). I've noted some pretty nice changes between RC2 and previous versions. With what i know now I probably could have got it working in previous versions, but in RC2 the setup is now makes it very easy.