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dskny
Contributor
Contributor

Networking for VMotion

Just getting started with VMotion. To keep it simple, I have 3 hosts with 4 physical nics. Looking to install VSphere 4 UPD 1.

One nic on each host (192.168.0.1; 192.168.0.2; 192.168.0.3) will be dedicated to the Service Console (vSwitch0).

Two nics on each host will be bonded to provide access to the Virtual Machine Port Group (vSwitch1).

One nic on each host (192.168.1.101; 192.168.1.102; 192.168.1.03) will be dedicated to the vmkernel for VMotion (vSwitch2).

I've heard that I would also need to allocate another three IPs for a second Service Console on vSwitch2 such as 192.168.1.111; 192.168.1.112, 192.168.1.113. I don't think that is true. Is that second Service Console really necessary?

thanks

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Rajeev_S
Expert
Expert

Hi,

Secondary service console is only for redunancy. If the 1st Service console is down due to any NW issue, secondary SC will take control. HA wont trigger in this scenario.

If you have one SC and if it gets disconnected, HA will trigger and VM's will be rebooted.

refer the link http://kb.vmware.com/selfservice/microsites/search.do?language=en_US&cmd=displayKC&externalId=100264...






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TimOudin
Hot Shot
Hot Shot

Although 'best practices' would have you isolating the traffic from COS, vmotion and VMs it would also require more physical networking that you have. Weigh the advantages/disadvantages of various configurations in your design. If you have multiple pswitches in your environment then maybe it would make sense to assign two pnic uplinks to each of two vswitches and consolidate some of your workload traffic. You might be over complicating the design for your environment.

The design I use, when pnic are limited, is to put a pair of vnic uplinks on a vswitch in active/active configuration. Then, for example, set a COS on that vswitch to override vswitch settings and make vnic0 active/vnic1 passive, put a vmotion portgroup on the same vswitch and override vswitch settings using the opposite combination of vnic settings. You would then have two vnics for a VM vswitch/portgroup(s). This will assist in distributing the data across the physical interfaces while still providing redundancy.

As Rajeev S mentions, the second COS is for extra high availability, not necessary but certainly nice to have. It requires one IP address per host.

Good luck!

Tim Oudin

Tim Oudin
golddiggie
Champion
Champion

What are you using for VM storage?

VMware VCP4

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AndreTheGiant
Immortal
Immortal

As written before the second COS is useful for redoundacy.

But if you vSwitch that hold the the COS has already at least 2 NICs, than the second is not stricly necessary.

On ESX 3.x with iSCSI storage, the second COS was needed (or a routing between your COS and your iSCSI storage) to configure the iSCSI.

For vSwitch design see also:

Andre

Andrew | http://about.me/amauro | http://vinfrastructure.it/ | @Andrea_Mauro
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dskny
Contributor
Contributor

Thanks all

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