What is the difference between in-band and out-of-band management methods?

Requests and status information sent between a and the storage management station are managed in one of two ways: out-of-band or in-band. The way that you define your storage array impacts the way that you configure your storage array.

Out-of-Band Management

The method uses the network. The Ethernet network sends requests and event information between a storage array and the storage management station. The Ethernet isolates the user data from the requests and event information. User data is sent through the or the directly to the controller by using the connections.

  1. Ethernet Network
  2. Users Sending and Receiving Data
  3. Storage Management Station
  4. Host
  5. Host Bus Adapters (HBAs) or iSCSI Initiators
  6. Controller A
  7. Controller B
  8. Controller-Drive Tray Found in the Storage Array
  9. Ethernet Cable from the controllers to the Ethernet Network
Figure 1 Out-of-Band Management

When you add storage arrays by using this management method, you must give the of each controller in the storage array. A DHCP server is recommended to manage the IP addresses for the parts of the storage array.

Note:

A maximum of eight storage management stations can monitor an out-of-band-managed storage array at the same time.

In-Band Management

sends requests and event information between a storage array and the storage management station through the connections. The requests, event information, and user data are sent through the HBA or the iSCSI initiator to the controllers. The requests and event information are mixed with the user data. The host receives requests from the storage management station over the Ethernet and then sends the requests to the controllers through the I/O connections. The controllers also use the I/O connections to send event information to the storage management station through the host.

An access volume is necessary for in-band management. The access volume gives the requests and event information to the controller and to the storage management station.

  1. Ethernet Network
  2. Users Sending and Receiving Data
  3. Storage Management Station
  4. Host
  5. Host Bus Adapters (HBAs) or iSCSI Initiators
  6. Controller A
  7. Controller B
  8. Controller-Drive Tray Found in the Storage Array
Figure 2 In-Band Management

When you manually add storage arrays, you need to give only the host name or IP address of one host. After the host is added, the host-agent software that runs on the host automatically finds any storage arrays connected to the host.

Note:

The host can perform as the storage management station.

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