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ntshane
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Need advice on best way to provision a 6 nic server

I have a Server with 6 nics. Looking for some suggestions on how best to provision. We use software iscsi client.

Here is what I am thinking of doing:

nics 0/2 (one onboard and one pci): VmNet

nics 1/3 (one onboard and one pci): vmkernel: vmotion/service console

nics 4/5 (pci): vmkernel for software iscsi

Is there a better way to do this? This is just the way I'm used to doing it. It would be nice to maximize the number of ports used for iSCSI.

Thanks!

-shane

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dconvery
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Tough call....

If you lose management network, HA will cause a failover.

If you lose iSCSI, all VMs fail, but HA will not fail over.

If you lose VM Network, all VM communications fail, but HA does not fail over.

If it was me, HA failover is a better option than full scall VM failure or VM net failure...

But now you will get twelve opinions on which is better.

Dave Convery - VMware vExpert 2009

************************

Accomplishing the impossible means only that the boss will add it to your regular duties.

Doug Larson

Dave Convery, VCDX-DCV #20 ** http://www.tech-tap.com ** http://twitter.com/dconvery ** "Careful. We don't want to learn from this." -Bill Watterson, "Calvin and Hobbes"

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JeffDrury
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Check out this thread as it discusses the design for this same scenario.

http://communities.vmware.com/thread/196382

atbnet
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I use the setup you mention as my default for 6NICs and ISCSI storage

Physical NIC Virtual Switch Port Group(s)


vmnic0 vSwitch0 Service Console + vMotion


vmnic1 vSwitch0 Service Console + vMotion


vmnic2 vSwitch1 VMkernel (IP Storage)


vmnic3 vSwitch1 VMkernel (IP Storage)



vmnic4 vSwitch2 VM Network



vmnic5 vSwitch2 VM Network


http://www.vmadmin.co.uk/index.php/resources/35-esxserver/104-esxnetwork6pnic

Andy, VCP / vEXPERT

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Andy Barnes
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azn2kew
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Make sure to use at least two NICs for all portgroup for redundancy and most people go with combination:

1. NIC1->SC/VMotion

2. NIC2->VMotion/SC

3. NIC3-4->VM Network

4. NIC5-6->DMZ, iSCSI, NFS, Backup networks (you pick whatever solutions you want)

With the combination of networking feature such as VLAN Tagging and consult with VMware guide on networking and DMZ with ESX configuration guide vmware.com->resources .

If you found this information useful, please consider awarding points for "Correct" or "Helpful". Thanks!!!

Regards,

Stefan Nguyen

iGeek Systems Inc.

VMware, Citrix, Microsoft Consultant

If you found this information useful, please consider awarding points for "Correct" or "Helpful". Thanks!!! Regards, Stefan Nguyen VMware vExpert 2009 iGeek Systems Inc. VMware vExpert, VCP 3 & 4, VSP, VTSP, CCA, CCEA, CCNA, MCSA, EMCSE, EMCISA
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Texiwill
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Hello,

Check out my Topology Blogs for assistance with this.


Best regards,
Edward L. Haletky
VMware Communities User Moderator, VMware vExpert 2009
====
Author of the book 'VMWare ESX Server in the Enterprise: Planning and Securing Virtualization Servers', Copyright 2008 Pearson Education.
Blue Gears and SearchVMware Pro Blogs -- Top Virtualization Security Links -- Virtualization Security Round Table Podcast

--
Edward L. Haletky
vExpert XIV: 2009-2023,
VMTN Community Moderator
vSphere Upgrade Saga: https://www.astroarch.com/blogs
GitHub Repo: https://github.com/Texiwill
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dconvery
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Shane -

Your setup is almost there....Just swap pnic 3 and 5 so you have redundancy in case of a physical failure. This assumes you are using two dual port nics. Don't forget, you want redundancy and resiliency on your iSCSI network as well. If pnic 4/5 are on the same physical adapter, a PCI failure or card failure will render everything useless.

Dave Convery - VMware vExpert 2009

************************

Accomplishing the impossible means only that the boss will add it to your regular duties.

Doug Larson

Dave Convery, VCDX-DCV #20 ** http://www.tech-tap.com ** http://twitter.com/dconvery ** "Careful. We don't want to learn from this." -Bill Watterson, "Calvin and Hobbes"
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ntshane
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Yeah, I made the mistake of buying an additional 4 port pci nic instead of 2 2-port nics. I figured that iscsi would be the best one to skip redundancy features on. Am I going wrong with that line of thinking? Should I keep the iscsi on separate physical nics? and then make the vmnet adapters the ones that share the 4 port pci nic?

-shane

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dconvery
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Tough call....

If you lose management network, HA will cause a failover.

If you lose iSCSI, all VMs fail, but HA will not fail over.

If you lose VM Network, all VM communications fail, but HA does not fail over.

If it was me, HA failover is a better option than full scall VM failure or VM net failure...

But now you will get twelve opinions on which is better.

Dave Convery - VMware vExpert 2009

************************

Accomplishing the impossible means only that the boss will add it to your regular duties.

Doug Larson

Dave Convery, VCDX-DCV #20 ** http://www.tech-tap.com ** http://twitter.com/dconvery ** "Careful. We don't want to learn from this." -Bill Watterson, "Calvin and Hobbes"
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