The e0M interface

Some storage system models include an interface named e0M. The e0M interface is dedicated to Data ONTAP management activities. It enables you to separate management traffic from data traffic on your storage system for security and throughput benefits.

On a storage system that includes the e0M interface, the Ethernet port that is indicated by a wrench icon on the rear of the chassis connects to an internal Ethernet switch. The internal Ethernet switch then provides connectivity to the e0M interface and the Remote LAN Module (RLM). The following diagram illustrates the connections.

Figure 1. The storage controller with the e0M interface

When you set up a system that includes the e0M interface, the Data ONTAP setup script informs you that, for environments that use dedicated LANs to isolate management traffic from data traffic, e0M is the preferred interface for the management LAN. The setup script then prompts you to configure e0M. The e0M configuration is separate from the RLM configuration. Both configurations require unique IP and MAC addresses to allow the Ethernet switch to direct traffic to either the e0M interface or the RLM. For information on how to set up the e0M interface, see the Data ONTAP Software Setup Guide.

• Using the e0M interface to perform a Data ONTAP management task
  You can use the e0M interface to access the storage system to manage Data ONTAP.
• How the e0M interface and the RLM differ
  Although the e0M interface and the RLM both connect to the internal Ethernet switch that connects to the Ethernet port indicated by a wrench icon on the rear of the chassis, the e0M interface and the RLM serve different functionality.