Multiple vLANS with one port group and one parent

[sleeperagent2]

We are creating a large floating pool. The problem we are running in to is that we run out of available addresses on our DHCP scope. What are wanting to do to fix this issue without creating a new parent is create a port group with vLAN Trunking enabled and go and change each port to the vLAN we want that port to use.

For example we have a Port group named "Big" we turned on vLAN trunking and tagged it with vLAN 1-3. Each vLAN has 245 available addresses so that makes us having 735 ports on that port group. So in order to have 245 of those being available to vLAN 1, 245 available to vLAN 2, and 245 available to vLAN 3 we are going to each port right clicking > edit>  vLAN> override > change to vLAN from vLAN trunking and typing in the respected vLAN id we want it to have.

While this is an option that's a lot of clicking. We were wondering is there a better method to accomplish the same result, can this process be scripted, or are we thinking about this all wrong and just need to use a different parent/snapshot for each vLAN?

Any advice and insight would be appreciated.

[vcpguy]

I think you will be better with new Parent for each VLAN. Here is the script for change VLAN - http://laurensdekoning.nl/powercli-migrate-vms-to-another-vlanportgroup/

This may work when you have existing VMs but when you do a recompose or refresh that will be a problem.

[Pooran98]

We ran into the same issue and had our networking team increase our IP range class size from /23 (512 IPs)  to /20 (4096 IPs). 

[sleeperagent2]

We thought about that as well. They already have  these vLANs configured and set aside. We revisit that option again.

[sleeperagent2]

I was afraid of that that, in the spirit of easy management we would rather not have several parents per cluster. Thanks for the script thought. I will add that to my arsenal.

[mpryor]

You should set up three port groups, each using one vlan tag, and use View's functionality to assign multiple network labels to the pool. VMs will then be balanced across those three groups:

VMware View 5.2 Documentation Library - Assign Multiple Network Labels to a Desktop Pool

Edited to fix broken link

[sleeperagent2]

Cool thanks I will check it out.

[sleeperagent2]

Wow there has to be a better way. I followed the article to a "T" but all I get is that red in PowerCLI.  I will continue to work on it to see if I can get it to work.  There has to be an easier way.