VI client strange problems

[takedown]

Okay, i have two ESX 3.5U2 Server with few VMs on each, without VC. After i add redundancy second service console network i have problems connectig to VMs from VI Console to first server, but second server have everything same and all network settings have same subnet, VI client also from that subnet. On second server console sometimes fail too, but mostly works fine. I remove second service console network from first server and problem still there. I can telnet to them, ssh, in VI client also i can do everything except Console. Recently i add server to dns(under windows 2k8) and add two A records to a similar name, maybe some problems with dns? Anyway i remove second record for first server and now he have only one A record and still can connect. Sure, i do service mgmt-vmware restart. Any ideas what happens?

[Texiwill]

Hello,

Why add a second SC when you just need to add a second pNIC to the NIC Team? You really do not need redundant IP to make this work, just redundant switches and use a NIC Team.

Check the routes on each host, most likely the routes are incorrect. netstat -rn

Best regards,

Edward L. Haletky

VMware Communities User Moderator

====

Author of the book 'VMWare ESX Server in the Enterprise: Planning and Securing Virtualization Servers', Copyright 2008 Pearson Education.

SearchVMware Blog: http://itknowledgeexchange.techtarget.com/virtualization-pro/

Blue Gears Blogs - http://www.itworld.com/ and http://www.networkworld.com/community/haletky

As well as the Virtualization Wiki at http://www.astroarch.com/wiki/index.php/Virtualization

[takedown]

Actually i have 4 pNIC per server and i do that scheme: vSwitch0 with 1 pNIC has a SC, vSwitch1 with 1 pNIC has a Vmotion and vSwitch2 with 2 pNIC has a VM net and SC 2. Because i need redundancy to my VMs,i just add SC 2 to that vswitch.

About routes, after removing SC2 from first server it's look normal:

Kernel IP routing table

Destination Gateway Genmask Flags Metric Ref Use Iface

192.168.0.0 0.0.0.0 255.255.248.0 U 0 0 0 vswif0

0.0.0.0 192.168.1.235 0.0.0.0 UG 0 0 0 vswif0

But on second server it looks strange(anyway it works almost normal) :

Kernel IP routing table

Destination Gateway Genmask Flags Metric Ref Use Iface

192.168.0.0 0.0.0.0 255.255.248.0 U 0 0 0 vswif0

192.168.0.0 0.0.0.0 255.255.248.0 U 0 0 0 vswif1

169.254.0.0 0.0.0.0 255.255.0.0 U 0 0 0 vswif1

0.0.0.0 192.168.1.235 0.0.0.0 UG 0 0 0 vswif0

BTW tried VI client from my home desktop through vpn, but same as in local network

[Texiwill]

Hello,

You have two issues really, one is a security issue, you should not have a Service Console port on the same vSwitch as your VMs. To get the redundancy you want I would use:

pNIC0 -> SC -> vSwitch0 (backup for VMotion)

pNIC1 -> vMotion -> vSwitch0 (backup for SC)

pNIC2&3 -> VMs -> vSwitch1

The VMotion/SC would not comingle unless one of them failed, this works best however when you have VLANs, but different subnets would also work. If you use VLANs, things are easier to configure than if you use subnets.

You want the vSwitch to handle all redundancy for you.

Best regards,

Edward L. Haletky

VMware Communities User Moderator

====

Author of the book 'VMWare ESX Server in the Enterprise: Planning and Securing Virtualization Servers', Copyright 2008 Pearson Education.

SearchVMware Blog: http://itknowledgeexchange.techtarget.com/virtualization-pro/

Blue Gears Blogs - http://www.itworld.com/ and http://www.networkworld.com/community/haletky

As well as the Virtualization Wiki at http://www.astroarch.com/wiki/index.php/Virtualization

[takedown]

So if one of the vmotion\SC pNIC fail they dont conflict and can use same pNIC without problems?(in documentation i find only recommendation about using vmotion as separate lan and pNIC) If yes it's look better, thanks.

[Texiwill]

Hello,

Yes as long as they are on different VLANs or subnets. VLANs would be better else you have routing issues.

Best regards,

Edward L. Haletky

VMware Communities User Moderator

====

Author of the book 'VMWare ESX Server in the Enterprise: Planning and Securing Virtualization Servers', Copyright 2008 Pearson Education.

SearchVMware Blog: http://itknowledgeexchange.techtarget.com/virtualization-pro/

Blue Gears Blogs - http://www.itworld.com/ and http://www.networkworld.com/community/haletky

As well as the Virtualization Wiki at http://www.astroarch.com/wiki/index.php/Virtualization

[takedown]

Okay, thank you. But still here the main issue with VI Console.

[takedown]

Ok here the deal. Remeber i told i setup second SC net and remove them later? This is the root of problems, because in dns i make round-robin to my ESXes they try to connect to IP that doesnt exsist anymore when i try open console. So you need to flush dns cache on your client where your run VI client and on ESX host. On windows just run ipconfig /flushdns and ssh to your esx and do service network restart(dont afraid, this restart only SC network and flush dns cache also). Lesson learned: check your DNS settings and dont forget to flush cache if your make changes.