ESX Server 3 networkin

[Loz1]

I am new to VMware and have a question regarding the configuration of the physical NICs on my ESX server-

I know that my service console NIC should have a static IP address assigned to it. What about the NICs that are used for the VMs? Should these have DHCP, reserved DHCP or static IP addresses?

Any help would be really appreciated.

Thanks

Loz

[cheeko]

You do not need to assign IPs to the physical NICs of the ESX host.

Assign some physical NIC ports to a virtual Switch and attach your VMs to this virtual switch. Assign IPs to your VMs as you would on hardware.

[esiebert7625]

It really does not matter if you set your VM's virtual NIC's to static or DHCP. Here's some good networking guides...

VMware ESX Server 3 802.1Q VLAN Solutions - http://www.vmware.com/pdf/esx3_vlan_wp.pdf

Networking Virtual Machines - http://download3.vmware.com/vmworld/2006/TAC9689-A.pdf

Networking Scenarios & Troubleshooting - http://download3.vmware.com/vmworld/2006/tac9689-b.pdf

ESX3 Networking Internals - http://www.vmware-tsx.com/download.php?asset_id=41

High Performance ESX Networking - http://www.vmware-tsx.com/download.php?asset_id=43

Network Throughput in a Virtual Infrastructure - http://www.vmware.com/pdf/esx_network_planning.pdf

fyi...if you find this post helpful, please award points using the Helpful/Correct buttons...thanks

[Loz1]

Ok, just so that I am clear on this- during the ESX Server install I assigned a static IP addresses to the physical NIC to be used by the service console.

IP security is very tight on the network here. Therefore I need to tell the network team how the other physical NICs in the ESX Server are assigned IP addresses. If I do not request DHCP, reserved DHCP or static then they will not have IP addresses assigned to them.

What do you recommend?

[sbeaver · Accepted solution]

Every other NIC except the Service Consol will not have an IP it will be a passthrough to the VM's which will have an IP configured. Look at it as an uplink