Adding VLANs to ESX

[register]

ESX 3.02

We currently use 1 subnet (VLAN 1) for all our production network traffic to our VMs. I need to add another subnet to our cluster & just wanted to get some confirmation I'm on the right track:

1. on Ethernet switch, change port connected to vmnic0 to allow trunking & add VLAN 2

2. on ESX host, change VLAN ID on vSwitch0 from * to 1.

3. on ESX host, create new vSwitch1 for VLAN ID 2.

4. on ESX host, assign new VMs using new subnet to vSwitch1.

Is that all there is to it?

TIA

[TomHowarth]

you could also use port groups, this could be better for you as your appear to have limited pNICs in your host. seperate vSwitches will require seperate pNIC to the physical world

Tom Howarth

VMware Communities User Moderator

[register]

thanks for the reply.

If I understand you correctly, I can only add another vSwitch if I have an unused NIC. I cannot assign 2 vSwitches to the same NIC?

[dkfbp]

Hi,

You cannot use two vswitches on one nic. What you described is allmost right. Just don't create another vswitch but create another portgroup on the existing vswitch with vlan id 2

Best regards

Frank Brix Pedersen

[register]

that's great, thank you.

One last ?, does it matter if I leave the VLAN ID on the original vSwitch as *, or is it important I change it to specifiy 1.

[dkfbp · Accepted solution]

If you are using a trunk port you need to specify the vlan id. Do not use the *

Best regards

Frank Brix Pedersen

[register]

fyi-

I had to leave it as *. When I changed it to 1, I lost connectivity to all VMs on vSwitch0.