Data Networks in OpenStack Overview

Data networks are used to model the L2 Networks that nodes’ data, pci-sriov and pci-passthrough interfaces attach to.

Note

Data networks are required if you plan to deploy the openstack application or provide SR-IOV network interface access to container workloads.

A Layer 2 physical or virtual network or set of virtual networks is used to provide the underlying network connectivity needed to support the application project networks. Multiple data networks may be configured as required, and realized over the same or different physical networks. Access to external networks is typically granted to the openstack-compute labeled worker nodes using the data network. The extent of this connectivity, including access to the open internet, is application dependent.

Data networks are created at the StarlingX level. Flat, VLAN and VXLAN type data networks are supported by the StarlingX OpenStack virtual switch. For details on creating data networks and assigning them to node interfaces, see the following documentation:

• Adding Data Networks Using the CLI

• Assigning a Data Network to an Interface

• Removing a Data Network Using the CLI

VXLAN Data Networks are specific to StarlingX OpenStack application.

Segmentation ID ranges for VLAN and VXLAN data networks are defined through OpenStack Neutron commands, see Adding Segmentation Ranges Using the CLI.