VMWARE vSphere 4.1 - Network Load Balancing (NLB) Multicast Mode Configuration / Cisco 6500

[llarava]

This is what a quick overview of what we are trying to accomplish and the problem that we are having:

Goal:

We are trying to configure Windows NLB on 2 VMs.

The Windows NLB configuration:

VIP -> 172.20.200.204 - The virtual MAC is 03bf.ac14.c8cc

The NLB cluster is formed by

PSTS01 -> 172.20.200.205
PSTS02 -> 172.20.200.206

VMWARE/Network:

We have 5 ESX servers which are connected to out core switches Cisco 6500 and configured as follows:

!
interface GigabitEthernet9/24
description VM4 Data
switchport
switchport access vlan 200
switchport mode trunk
spanning-tree portfast

Issue:

We are not able reach the VIP 172.20.200.204 from any VLAN other than the VLAN 200. The VIP needs to be reachable in order for the cluster to work.

This article explains what we are trying to acomplish:

http://kb.vmware.com/selfservice/microsites/search.do?cmd=displayKC&externalId=1006558

We have followed the steps in the following article to configure the network:

http://kb.vmware.com/selfservice/microsites/search.do?language=en_US&cmd=displayKC&externalId=100652...

We have use mac-address-table static with the Uplink interface for each of our ESX servers and their connection to the Core switches. We have used CDP to obtain the information.

CR01 - Core Router1

arp 172.20.200.204 03bf.ac14.c8cc ARPA

mac-address-table static 03bf.ac14.c8cc vlan 200 interface GigabitEthernet9/32 GigabitEthernet9/24 GigabitEthernet9/16 GigabitEthernet9/21 GigabitEthernet9/19

CR02 - Core Router2

arp 172.20.200.204 03bf.ac14.c8cc ARPA

mac-address-table static 03bf.ac14.c8cc vlan 200 interface GigabitEthernet9/41 GigabitEthernet9/24 GigabitEthernet9/11 GigabitEthernet9/17 GigabitEthernet9/15

As said before we are not able to reach the VIP -> 172.20.200.204 from any VLAN other than VLAN 200 but we are able to reach the Physical IPs assigned to the PSTS01 (172.20.200.205) and PSTS02 (172.20.200.206) from any of our VLANS.

Once the manual ARP resolution of the NLB cluster address is configured in our Core Router 1 and 2 we can see the static entry on the CAM.
Also we have verified that the following setting is configured as suggested in the KB - Virtual Switch NIC Team Policy > Notify Switches is set to Yes.

One more thing to add is that we can ping the VIP 172.20.200.204 from any of the Cisco 6500 and from any host virtual or physical that is configured at VLAN 200.

Also from any of Cisco 6500 the arp successfully resolves. If we do a show ip arp to the VIP 172.20.200.204 returns:

Internet 172.20.200.204 03bf.ac14.c8cc ARPA

[AndreTheGiant]

Thread has been moved in vNetwork area

[DanielBoddy]

is this windows 2003 or windows 2008, if its 2008 and we have exactly the same issue and are currently testing an MS hotfix specifically for 2008 NLB,

Technet Article

http://blogs.technet.com/b/networking/archive/2009/01/15/unable-to-connect-to-windows-server-2008-nl...

and Hotfix

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/960916

hope this helps

Dan

[llarava]

Hi Dan,

Thank you for your information. This is a Windows 2003 NLB cluster. We have a support call opened with MS but everything seems ok on their side.

So far I haven't been able to find anyone at VMWare support that gives me a final answer about how do we need to configure the network side in order for NLB to work with the ESX servers.

I understand from the VMWare KB article that we neeed to make ARP entries on the 6509's (this is what we have) where the ESX servers are connected to. In other words the uplink (esx interfaces) and the destination ports on the core switches. We have 2 6509s configured with HSRP and the ESX servers are connected to both core switches. We have made the change on both core switches for the ESX interfaces and the ports where they are connected.

I have seen a lot of posts out there but nothing clear about it. What is your configuration? Are you allowing the ARP entry on all your switches and routers or just the ones that are connected to the ESX servers?  

[AnthonyChow]

I believe setting static ARP on the 6509 where the ESX is connected is enough.

From the 6509 to the core switch is there routing involved?

[AnthonyChow]

Oh, you have the routing information from your first post.

[llarava]

Have you been able to acomplish this yourself? 

[AnthonyChow]

@llarava, I assume you are asking me if I have make this to work.

I am not using NLB.  I comment based on my understand of static ARP.