ESXi bridging

[metamind2]

Hi,

I am setting up an ESXi machine on in a datacentre. I have been given an IP address for the ESXi installation and a set of addresses, in a different range, that I was going to use for the virtual machines. I think what I need to do is use bridging from the virtual machines out to the real network but I can't find how to set it up. This is my first endeavour with ESXi. I have used VM Ware Server before and it was pretty simple there. On the comparison page of the products it says ESXi should be even easier...

Thanks for your help.

[AWo]

You need to connect to the IP address of the ESXi server with the vCenter client. Then ypou have to configure the networking and create a vSwitch and a port group for the guests. When you create a guest and add a virtual NIC to it, choose the portgroup which the guest should use. That's it.

Read about the details here: http://pubs.vmware.com/vsp40u1_i/server_config/c_introduction_to_networking.html

AWo

VCP 3 & 4

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[metamind2]

Thanks for that. You make it sound very easy...

I have one physical adapter "vmnic0"

Currently I have one vSwitch "vSwitch0" which is connected to "vmnic0"

My "Management Network" is a "VMKernal Port" and has IP address a.b.c.d

Currently I have another "Virtual Machine Port Group" within "vSwitch0"

- This is showing my first virtual machine "VM01" within it.

I have been given three other IP addresses with my physical server. These are e.f.g.x, e.f.g.y and e.f.g.z

I have just added a second virtual switch "vSwitch1".

- Within it is a "Virtual Machine Port Group" called "e_f_g"

- There are no physical adapters attached to this virtual swtich. I thought I might be able to route it through the physical adapter "vmnic0" but when I tried it said that it would disconnect "vmnic0" from "vSwitch0".

Not really sure where to go from here.

Thanks again for you help.

[AWo]

A physical NIC can only be attached to one vSwitch. So the message that vmnic0 will be detached from you first vSwitch is correct.

How should the final setup look like.

If you have thee guest IP addresses and if they are from the same IP subnet, just use them in the guests and attach all of them to the one vSwitch (and physical NIC) you have.

AWo

VCP 3 & 4

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[metamind2]

I would like the IP address a.b.c.d to continue to be attached to my "Management network" while the addresses

e.f.g.x,

e.f.g.y and

e.f.g.z

to each be attached to a separate virtual machine.

(these are on sub-net e.f.g which is a different sub-net to a.b.c.d address - which is on sub-net a.b.c)

>> just use them in the guests and attach all of them to the one vSwitch (and physical NIC) you have.

I'm not sure what this involves. (sorry, networking isn't my strong point - it just worked on vm server)

[AWo]

I would like the IP address a.b.c.d to continue to be attached to my "Management network" while the addresses

e.f.g.x,

e.f.g.y and

e.f.g.z

to each be attached to a separate virtual machine.

(these are on sub-net e.f.g which is a different sub-net to a.b.c.d address - which is on sub-net a.b.c)

If the management network and the guest network are separate subnets you need another physical NIC. One for the vSwitch with the vmkernel and one for the second vSwitch for the guest port group. Each physical adapter attached to the appropriate switch and IP subnet.

just use them in the guests and attach all of them to the one vSwitch (and physical NIC) you have.

I only focus on the guests now, assuming you have a different physical NIC for the vmkernel (because you use different IP subnets).

The IP addresses e.f.g.x-z have to be assigned within the guest OS. Just like you would do that with a physcial machine. By binding the physical NIC to the vSwitch where the guest port group is configured you connect all guests to that IP network. It sound like you think the IP addresses have to be set on the vSwitch. No, that is not the case.

Again, create the vSwitch, add a port group and a physical NIC which is physically attached to the desired IP subnet via some physical switch. Choose the port group you have created for each virtual NIC of each guest and set the individual IP addresses from that IP subnet within the guest.

AWo

VCP 3 & 4

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[metamind2]

Great. Thanks for clearing that up.

I will get my server provider to give me a block of ips in the same sub-net and hopefully then I will be able to get it all to work.