Data storage node employing destination-mode macvlan driver for network port sharing

A data storage node of a data storage appliance for use in a multi-appliance data storage cluster, the data storage node having a physical network port for connection to a physical network via which the appliances of the data storage cluster are accessed by host computers as data storage clients, and via which the appliances communicate for cluster management purposes, the data storage node being a computerized device configured and arranged to store and execute computer program instructions to:

• functionally couple a storage network component of the data storage node to the physical network port using a first MACVLAN driver, the first MACVLAN driver having a link-layer interface to the storage network component using a first MAC address, and operate the first MACVLAN driver to receive, from the physical network port, first network traffic containing the first MAC address as destination address and to deliver the first network traffic to the storage network component;
• and
• functionally couple a cluster network component of the storage node to the physical network port using a second MACVLAN driver, a bond component, and a third MACVLAN driver, the second MACVLAN driver having a link-layer interface to the cluster network component using a second MAC address, and the bond component serving as a base device for the second MACVLAN driver and operative to forward second network traffic received from the physical network port thereto, and operate the third MACVLAN driver in a Destination mode to (1) maintain a list of MAC addresses for which the second network traffic is to be forwarded, the list including the second MAC address, and (2) based on the inclusion of the second MAC address in the list, forward the second network traffic containing the second MAC address as destination address to the bond component for forwarding to the second MACVLAN driver and delivery to the cluster network component.