Preferred Networking Configuration for Failover SC vSwitch

[chicagovm]

Can anyone assist with any misconfigurations I currently have in the policies which are not correctly activating my standby VMNIC?? I have confirmed they are both on the same broadcast domain.

No trunking in this network.

Thanks alot!!

My current configuration consists of the following:

ESX 1 - 1 pNIC > pSwitch A ; 1 pNIC > pSwitch B

I have vmnic1 active and utilized for the host to connect to pSwitch A for its IP connectivity.

I have vmnic2 in standby mode with the tabs set as the following

vSwitch0 properties - Security > Reject / A / A ; Traffic Shaping > Disabled ; NIC Teaming > Load Balancing: Route based on origin. vpID - Network Failover Detection > Link Status only - Notify Switches> Yes - Failback > Yes ( vmnic 1 Active and vmnic 2 is in Standby )

Service Console properties - Security > none selected ; Traffice Shaping > Status ( checkbox checked ) Disabled ; NIC Teaming > Load Balancing > unchecked - Network Failover Detection > Link Status only - Notify Switches> Yes - Failback > unchecked

Override Failover vSwitch failover order > checked

[Texiwill]

Hello,

How are you testing this? To fully test this you need to pull a cable from either a pSwitch or the ESX host, you can not just disable the port as its not truly disabled in some cases. It is looking for link status and not routing.

Best regards,

Edward L. Haletky

VMware Communities User Moderator

====

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

SearchVMware Blog: http://itknowledgeexchange.techtarget.com/virtualization-pro/

Blue Gears Blogs - http://www.itworld.com/ and http://www.networkworld.com/community/haletky

As well as the Virtualization Wiki at http://www.astroarch.com/wiki/index.php/Virtualization

[chicagovm]

I am verifying by pulling a cable from the ESX host.

I tried one time and the standby NIC didnt kick in. So, I think somewhere in my policies I have an incorrect setting.

Find any mis matches?

[Texiwill]

Hello,

Not sure why you have 'Override Failover vSwitch failover order > checked '

But your setup should work. One thing you should do is set the mode for the vSwitch to explicit failover, or at least for the SC and not load balanced.

Best regards,

Edward L. Haletky

VMware Communities User Moderator

====

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

SearchVMware Blog: http://itknowledgeexchange.techtarget.com/virtualization-pro/

Blue Gears Blogs - http://www.itworld.com/ and http://www.networkworld.com/community/haletky

As well as the Virtualization Wiki at http://www.astroarch.com/wiki/index.php/Virtualization

[chicagovm]

Thanks alot for your input!!

Im going to check the settings as you stated and test out.

If this works Ill mark as YOU answered!

"marked as helpful"

cheers!

[chicagovm]

Hi sir

Where is this setting you speak of?

One thing you should do is set the mode for the vSwitch to explicit failover, or at least for the SC and not load balanced.

[Texiwill · Accepted solution]

Hello,

THat looks properly setup. I would go to the system and see if there are any cabling issues.

Best regards,

Edward L. Haletky

VMware Communities User Moderator

====

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

SearchVMware Blog: http://itknowledgeexchange.techtarget.com/virtualization-pro/

Blue Gears Blogs - http://www.itworld.com/ and http://www.networkworld.com/community/haletky

As well as the Virtualization Wiki at http://www.astroarch.com/wiki/index.php/Virtualization