Issue with Esxi network configuration

[Dany54000]

Hello

I am contacting you regarding a configuration issue with an Esxi that I have installed on a server.

I am completely stuck with the vSwitch configuration and I really need your assistance.

I have installed and configured an Esxi 6.0.0 on a HP xw8400 Workstation.

IP addresse: 10.10.10.2 / 24 (vlan 0)

This workstation is linked to a Cisco 2960 switch with an RJ45 cable (port Fa0/2).

Then I access the Esxi "Management Interface" (https://10.10.10.2) from a laptop also connected to the switch on port Fa04.

Note: both Fa0/2 and Fa0/4 ports are configured in "Trunk mode" (they are UP) and I put the following commands:

Switch(config)#interface fastEthernet 0/2

Switch(config-if)#switchport trunk allowed vlan 1,2,3,4

Switch(config-if)#switchport mode trunk

Switch(config-if)#exi

*Mar  1 00:19:37.072: %LINEPROTO-5-UPDOWN: Line protocol on Interface FastEthernet0/2, changed state to down

*Mar  1 00:19:40.084: %LINEPROTO-5-UPDOWN: Line protocol on Interface FastEthernet0/2, changed state to up

Switch(config)#exit

Switch(config)#interface fastEthernet 0/4

Switch(config-if)#switchport trunk allowed vlan 1,2,3,4

Switch(config-if)#switchport mode trunk

Switch(config-if)#exit

Switch#show vlan brief

VLAN Name                             Status    Ports

---- -------------------------------- --------- -------------------------------

1    default                               active         Fa0/1, Fa0/3, Fa0/5, Fa0/6

                                                                    Fa0/7, Fa0/8, Gi0/1

2    VM_Network                       active

3    DMZ                                   active

4    NAS                                    active

20   VLAN0020                         active

1002 fddi-default                      act/unsup

1003 token-ring-default            act/unsup

1004 fddinet-default                act/unsup

1005 trnet-default                    act/unsup

Laptop's LAN Network card address: 10.10.10.11 / 24

Note: I do not have a "VMware Virtual Ethernet Adapater" or "Npcap Loopback Adapter" on the laptop and I do not know if it is necessary because I can ping the laptop to the Esxi.

At this point, on the Esxi, I configure 4 "Port Groups" on the Esxi which are the following:

Mngt Network : vlan 0 (vlan 0)

LAN : vlan 2 (vlan 2)

DNZ : vlan 3 (vlan 3)

NAS : vlan 4 (vlan 4)

Then I configure the following "NIC VMkernel" (all in "defautTcpipStack"):

Mngt Network : vmk0

LAN : vmk1

DNZ : vmk2

NAS : vmk3

At this point I cannot access the "Port Groups" tab (a search bar appears) and vswitch 0 "topology card" schema anymore.

If I want to create a VM, I cannot access the "parameters".

So in order to re-access the "Port Groups" tab and the vswitch 0 "topology card" schema, I have to delete one "NIC VMkernel" (the last one which is vmk3 (NAS)) and I have 3 "NIC VMkernel" now.

Then I can access the "Port Groups" tab and I notice that still 4 "Port Groups" are presents but the NAS one indicates 0 in the "activ port" (whereas all others are showing 1).

Example:

NAS: 0 for activ port

DMZ: 1 for activ port

LAN: 1 for activ port

Mngt Network : 1 for activ port

Then I can create a VM but I have only the "NAS" option for the "Network Adaptator 1" (I do not have any other options meaning that I cannot put a VM into another port group).

If I expand the "Network Adaptator 1" section I can choose between these 4 "Adaptator types" : E1000, SR-IOV Passthrough, VMXNET 2 (enhanced) and VMXNET 3.

Note: I can choose any of them, I still have "NAS" for only option at the "Network Adaptator 1" field.

Then if I start the VM, then the NAS "Port Group" indicates 1 in the "activ port". Example:

NAS: 1 for activ port

DMZ: 1 for activ port

LAN: 1 for activ port

Mngt Network : 1 for activ port

Also the NAS port is green on the "vswitch0" topology card but I still not have any "NIC VMkernel" address configured.

Finally I found this article "Sample Configuration - ESX/ESXi connecting to physical switch via VLAN access mode and External Switch VLAN Tagging (EST Mode) (1004127)"

link: https://kb.vmware.com/s/article/1004127

But I do not know if I have to choose either the "VST" or the "VGT" methods of VLAN tagging (considering that the first one is not adapted because I have more than 1 vlan to configure).

Precision: my 2960 switch doesn't accept the "switchport trunk encapsulation dot1q" command :

Switch(config-if)#switchport trunk ?

  allowed  Set allowed VLAN characteristics when interface is in trunking mode

  native   Set trunking native characteristics when interface is in trunking mode

  pruning  Set pruning VLAN characteristics when interface is in trunking mode

Question: should I also configure the Fa04 port in "Trunk mode" (the one between the switch and the Laptop) ?

Finally I have installed the "vSphere Web Client" and from the vSwitch0's "Load Balancing" dropdown, the "Route based on originating virtual port ID" is well selected.

Could you please help me and to let me know if:

1. which methods of VLAN tagging I have to choose.

=> what do I have to put in "Physical switch Mode Access (Layer2)" - see "Physical Switch Configuration (Cisco, HP, DELL, etc)" section on https://kb.vmware.com/s/article/1004127

2. If I also have to configure the "Fa04" port in "Trunk mode" (the one between the switch and the Laptop) ?

If needed I can send screenshoots.

In advance I thank you very much for your attention, patience and reply.

Best regards

Damien

[daphnissov]

Ok, some preliminary statements and questions:

1. You are aware that this workstation doesn't officially support ESXi, correct?
2. If three 3 VLANs you've provisioned and trunked down to the host are for VM usage, you do not create vmkernel ports on the ESXi host corresponding to each.
3. How are you interacting with this host? Via the legacy C# (desktop) client, or the HTML5-based host client?
4. Since you said this is ESXi 6.0, why are you not using 6.5 which has a much more updated version of the host client?
5. Further to #2, you must create new portgroups for each VLAN specifying the ID and provide a name. Once done, you should be able to reconfigure a VM and join it to a portgroup.

[Dany54000]

Hello Daphnissov

Many thanks for your reply!!

1. You are aware that this workstation doesn't officially support ESXi, correct?

Yes I was aware of it but I set the BIOS to Virtualization and it works.

2. If three 3 VLANs you've provisioned and trunked down to the host are for VM usage, you do not create vmkernel ports on the ESXi host corresponding to each.

If I understand correctly you are telling me to create 3 VLAN (port-group tab) but NOT to create NIC VMkernel (vmkernel port).

Correct ?

If it is correct I sill have the vmk0 (10.10.10.2) NIC VMkernel and I cannot delete it, otherwise I lost the connection to the Esxi.

3. How are you interacting with this host? Via the legacy C# (desktop) client, or the HTML5-based host client?

I am using the HTML5-based host client (https://10.10.10.2) and vSphere client (evaluation).

4. Since you said this is ESXi 6.0, why are you not using 6.5 which has a much more updated version of the host client?

Because I started with the 6.0.0 ESxi already installed and I thought to follow the current VMware's videos in order to update the Esxi.

Would you recommande me to remove the 6.0.0 and to install the Esxi 6.5 version now ?

5. Further to #2, you must create new portgroups for each VLAN specifying the ID and provide a name. Once done, you should be able to reconfigure a VM and join it to a portgroup.

Example

PORT-GROUP

Mngt VLAN : vlan 0 (vmk0)

LAN : vlan ID 2

DMZ : vlan ID 3

NAS : vlan ID 4

NIC VMkernel

Mngt VLAN : (vmk0) 10.10.10.2 in "defautTcpipStack" mode.

Interface E0/2

Switch(config)#interface fastEthernet 0/2

Switch(config-if)#switchport trunk allowed vlan 1,2,3,4

Switch(config-if)#switchport mode trunk

*Mar  1 02:58:35.330: %LINEPROTO-5-UPDOWN: Line protocol on Interface FastEthernet0/2, changed state to downtr

*Mar  1 02:58:38.342: %LINEPROTO-5-UPDOWN: Line protocol on Interface FastEthernet0/2, changed state to up

Switch(onfig-if)#spanning-tree portfast

Switch(config-if)#exit

Switch#show running-config

Building configuration...

Current configuration : 802 bytes

!

version 12.2

no service pad

service timestamps debug datetime msec

service timestamps log datetime msec

no service password-encryption

!

hostname Switch

!

boot-start-marker

boot-end-marker

!

no aaa new-model

system mtu routing 1500

!

spanning-tree mode pvst

spanning-tree extend system-id

!

vlan internal allocation policy ascending

!

!

!

interface FastEthernet0/1

!

interface FastEthernet0/2

switchport trunk allowed vlan 1-4

switchport mode trunk

spanning-tree portfast

!

interface FastEthernet0/3

interface FastEthernet0/4

interface FastEthernet0/5

interface FastEthernet0/6

interface FastEthernet0/7

interface FastEthernet0/8

interface GigabitEthernet0/1

!

interface Vlan1

no ip address

!

ip http server

ip http secure-server

!

line con 0

line vty 5 15

!

end

Is what you advised me to do ?

If yes, I have now the choice for the three following portgroups when configuring a VM: LAN, DMZ and NAS

That means that I will have to manually configured the IP and each VM depending the VLAN I want them to be.

Finally will I have some difficulties using Esxi on this workstation (6.0.0 and 6.5 versions) ?

I thank you in advance for your reply

Damien

[daphnissov · Accepted solution]

1. It may work, but if this is for production business use cases then I'd strongly recommend against it, that is if you ever want the possibility of getting support from VMware.
2. Yes, correct. You create 3 virtual machines port groups but no vmkernel interfaces. Again, this is *if* those VLANs you created are only for VM traffic.
3. Not sure which client you're using based on your response.
4. If there's no specific reason you've chosen 6.0, then you should be using 6.5.
5. There's no need to post switch configs as they're irrelevant. As long as you've trunked the VLANs down the interface(s) to which ESXi is connected, you simply create new portgroups that specify those VLAN IDs of the type virtual machine. Once that's done, you can join a VM's NIC to one of those portgroups and verify outbound connectivity.

That means that I will have to manually configured the IP and each VM depending the VLAN I want them to be.

Finally will I have some difficulties using Esxi on this workstation (6.0.0 and 6.5 versions) ?

Yes, you will have to configure IPs for each VM that resides on these new VLANs provided DHCP is not configured.

Will you have difficulties? Possibly, but see my answer to #1. Since you're doing this on unsupported hardware, it's fine for a personal lab or experimental-type setup, but should be avoided for any sort of business use case involving production workloads.

[Dany54000]

Yes it is exactely for a personal lab that I am building this infrastructure.

Many thanks again for your help Daphnissov.

Howerver I have another question if it is possible

I have a external SAN that I would like to like with my VMs.

Model: Synology DiskStation DS214+

This SAN is linked to the switch using a RJ45 network cable.

My goal is to perform VMs backup using eSATA.

Do you think it will be possible with the current configuration ?

(as you said: . Again, this is *if* those VLANs you created are only for VM traffic).

Or will I have to configure an additionnal vmkernel interface dedicated to ?

Damien