node cluster config

dbrega

New Member
Sep 6, 2025
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I would like to create a cluster of three nodes with Ceph installed on both.
I would like to avoid using two switches because I don't need them, as the nodes are close to each other and are equipped with multiple 2.5GB network cards.
I was thinking of a configuration like the one shown in the image below.
1760219939400.png
I would like to know if anyone has any doubts about the correct functioning of this configuration.
Thank you in advance.
 
I would like to know if anyone has any doubts about the correct functioning of this configuration.
Depending on your specific expectation... it will probably work. There is no magic involved :-)

As soon as you need to tap in into one of the point-to-point networks you'll see the problem: you can not connect a fourth device, e.g. for trouble shooting.

2.5 GBit/s switches are cheap. Personally I would just buy one more. Instead of using the multiple NICs your way I would highly prefer to setup a separate connection for Corosync, a separate LAN for storage and a separate network for some (tagged only) VLANs. All of them using a switch, allowing for a fourth/fifth node to be attached next year...


Slightly off-topic in regard of your question: personally I would never run a three node Ceph installation in a productive environment. As soon as anything fails you are degraded - and you stay degraded as there is no redundancy to kick in and trigger self-healing - which is one of the killer-features Ceph offers.

I know several users do successfully use this construct, and of course: ymmv.

My own findings after a year of Ceph with 2.5 GBit/s and Mini-PCs: https://forum.proxmox.com/threads/fabu-can-i-use-ceph-in-a-_very_-small-cluster.159671/