Physical interface bridging possible in ESXi ???

[reinistihovs]

Hello

Did anyone managed to get this done?

if yes please share, im also building a vsan 5 node setup, and really dont feel like spending extra on expensive switches.

@spulver88

I have found this thread:

Building a 2-Node Direct Connect vSAN 6.7 Cluster for ROBO

have you setup static vmkernel routes for your configuration?

esxcli vsan network ip add -i vmk0 -T=witness

[scott28tt]

Moderator: Comment branched from a thread last touched more than 4 years ago.

[daphnissov]

No, you need to physically switch those packets. If you're building a 5-node vSAN cluster, you already have to have compatible storage devices and controllers. Adding a switch is a trivial matter.

[reinistihovs]

We haevnt bought anything yet,

We are planning to buy 5 nodes with Sata SSD`s and M.2 for cache.

We want to setup HighAvailability with 2 node fault tolerance.

We want a redundant VSAN network, and its pretty expensive to buy several enterprise grade 10gbit switches.

Can you please explain more deeply, why physical switching is neccesarry, if anyway data will go trhu virtual distributed switch?

Its much cheaper to buy extra NIC`s

[daphnissov]

We want a redundant VSAN network, and its pretty expensive to buy several enterprise grade 10gbit switches.

Can you please explain more deeply, why physical switching is neccesarry, if anyway data will go trhu virtual distributed switch?

Because vSAN is your storage fabric where different physical nodes pool their collective storage, so those nodes need to be able to communicate effectively, reliably, and securely. Having physical switches is a normal part of this setup, and trying to get by on the cheap is going to burn you. I don't even think it'll work with vSAN to begin with. Redundant switches would be two, not "several". And it doesn't matter if the traffic goes through a vDS or a vSS, it still has to be physically switched. vDS is just a management plane object at the end.

[TheBobkin]

Hello reinistihovs​,

Welcome to Communities.

No, it is not supported to connect a 5-node vSAN cluster without switches - the only supported configuration for direct-connect of nodes is 2-node clusters but these of course will need some form of switch (doesn't have to be beefy) to connect to the Witness.

Bob