Network configuration for failover

[d3l0n]

Hello,

I have ESX 3.5 server with two physical NICs, I want to have a failover in place in case one NIC lost connection the other NIC will takeover to do that I'm planning to connect each NIC to a different physical switch, but I don't know how I can have the ESX 3.5 recognize that it's connected to switches, and how I can make sure the instances on ESX server are connected to the two physical NICs for the same purpose? I don't have a connection to ESX using VI Client only to the shell/command line.

Thank you,

[JeffDrury]

It looks like you will need to create a virtual switch and then add both NIC's to the vSwitch using the command line. If both NIC's are used as uplinks for the vSwitch you will have seamless failover between your two physical switches. There is a great command line reference for ESX here: http://www.b2v.co.uk/b2vguide2vmware3.htm

The specific command for adding an additional physical NIC to the vSwitch is:

# esxcfg-vswitch -L vmnic1 vSwitch1

This command will add vmnic1 to vSwitch1. You can also use esxcfg-vswitch -l to list your current vSwitch configuration.

Let me know if this helps.

[Texiwill]

Hello,

Check out my Topology Blogs for some help on how to set this up. ESX treats all pNICs as uplinks from pSwitches to vSwitches and if you have separate pSwitches then everything is great!

Best regards,

Edward L. Haletky

VMware Communities User Moderator

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Author of the book 'VMWare ESX Server in the Enterprise: Planning and Securing Virtualization Servers', Copyright 2008 Pearson Education.

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[atbnet]

Here is what I use for the most reliable connection for an ESX/ESXi Server with 2 NICs.

http://www.vmadmin.co.uk/index.php/resources/35-esxserver/103-esxnetwork2pnic

Andy, VMware Certified Professional (VCP),

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