simulate a network failure

[vTrack]

Hi Folks,

I have an ESXi 5.1 enviornment with two uplinks (vmnic0 and vmnic1), both configured to vDistributed Switch. I am running some tests to validate the network and want to simulate one of the network failure, rather than pulling out the cable. 

This should be possible thru esxcli but not sure about the steps. Can someone help me know the steps?

Thanks.

[virtualinstall]

Hi,

Would esxcli network ip interface list & esxcli network ip interface set --enabled false/true be of use?

Ref: http://pubs.vmware.com/vsphere-50/index.jsp?topic=%2Fcom.vmware.vcli.ref.doc_50%2Fesxcli_software.ht...

[virtualinstall]

Sorry that's only showing interfaces with a vmk

[virtualinstall]

esxcli network nic list

esxcli network nic down -n (name of nic to be configured)

[a_p_]

Although it's possible to disable an uplink on the ESXi host, I'd suggest you rather do this on the physical switch (bringing the interface down) to see whether the ESXi host behaves as expected to an "external" failure.

André

[rickardnobel]

I agree that the test A.P. suggest is more fair, since we can not really know what the vmkernel does or does not when interfaces are taken down logically from inside the host.

A "shutdown" (Cisco) or "disable" (HP) from the switch CLI should be a great way to simulate an unexpected linkloss from the ESXi point of view.