2 NICs, both getting to SC on diff IP addresses?

[benny_hauk]

Been too long since I've messed with 3.5.  This may sound like sa stupid question but here's what I need:

My vCenter Mgmt server that needs to manage a 3.5 host via its service conosle is on one network and my backup network that needs to be able to access the service console via CIFS/SMB is on a different network.  So need two different NICs in the host to both run to the service console via two different IP addresses (each with different default gateways).  I'd love it if it's as easy as just adding a new virtual switch of type "Service Console", give it the new IP address, default gateway and everything just work.  I'm nervous if I do that, that for some reason it's doing to break the connection between the service console and the vCenter server which is working today.

Am I paranoid?  Is there something I'm missing that makes this a lot more simple than I'm making it?  Is it more complicated?

Thanks!

[benny_hauk]

Figured it out.  First some assumptions because I like real examples:  These assumptions aren't my real environment.  I've modified them.  Assume the original service console is on the 10.1.1.0/24 network and this is where vCenter communicates with the server.  We have a separate backup network that has to talk to the Service Console as well and the backup network is on 10.2.2.0/24.  The gateways of the 2 networks are 10.1.1.254 and 10.2.2.254, respectively.  Also assume that the original Service Console uses vswif0 and so this second Service Console port should be vswif1.

I created new Service Console Port to connect to the second network (backup network in our case) via an unused NIC.  The Service Console Port that vCenter uses to manage the host didn't drop it's connection when I did this.  I assigned that new Service Console connection a new IP address and netmask that can talk on our backup network but I didn't change the default gateway (important so vCenter can continue to talk to the host!).

Next I added another default gateway for this second interface.  PuTTY to the Service Console to add this new file (if file already exists then continue on): /etc/sysconfig/static-routes

Here's what to add to the file:

any net 0.0.0.0 netmask 0.0.0.0 gw 10.2.2.254 vswif1

Run "service network restart".

That should be it.  When you type "route -n", here's what you should see:

Destination     Gateway         Genmask         Flags Metric Ref    Use Iface

10.2.2.0        0.0.0.0         255.255.255.0   U     0      0        0 vswif1

10.1.1.0        0.0.0.0         255.255.255.0   U     0      0        0 vswif0

169.254.0.0     0.0.0.0         255.255.0.0     U     0      0        0 vswif1

0.0.0.0         10.2.2.254      0.0.0.0         UG    0      0        0 vswif1

0.0.0.0         10.1.1.254      0.0.0.0         UG    0      0        0 vswif0

I can ping both networks now from the service console.

Again, none of these are my real networks and scenarios, just examples.  Don't forget to test safely on your own test environment as your experience may vary from mine.