VIrtual Networking and Exchange2007 Cluster

[NZSewell]

Hi

I'm currently in the planning stage of virtualizing and upgrading our Exchange 2003 to exchange 2007, and putting the 2007 version on esxi 3.5

I have 2 IBM x3650 each server is connected to a SCSI Array for storage.

The current server (Already in production) has 2 nics, the 2nd (new) server has 6 nics.

To cluster the GUEST OS (Windows2008) I need to assign 1 nic to talk on a Private IP connection and 1 nic to talk to the LAN. If both Guests were going to be on one HOST then I think it would be easier, but for redundancy they need to be split. I know what I need to do, which is assign 1 PHYSICAL nic to a virtual nic on each server, which will be easy on the new server with more than 2 nics, but on the 2 nic'd server, the nics are teamed, so would I still be able to send the private connection down one of them?

The servers are connected to a Cisco Stack, and I have had the 2 ports configured in a private VLAN for the Private connection, with one port as a trunk to allow it to talk to both the LAN and the private VLAN.

I just need a bit of help in setting up the Virtual Nic to Physical nic enviroment and applying that to the GUEST servers.

ta

Dave

[RParker · Accepted solution]

I just need a bit of help in setting up the Virtual Nic to Physical nic enviroment and applying that to the GUEST servers.

Create a Virtual Switch. Assign a NIC to it (one that's not in use). Then assign VM's to that Virtual Switch. That's pretty much it, you can do this from VI Client software, no command line involved, it's all gui.

[VMmatty]

What kind of cluster are you going to use? Is it an SCC cluster with shared storage or CCR without shared storage?

Either way, unfortunately Windows 2008 clusters are not supported on ESX(i) 3.5. VMware didn't start supporting Windows 2008 clusters until the release of vSphere 4. That's not to say that it won't work on 3.5 (I have clients running in this configuration), but you aren't supported by VMware. You also cannot have the cluster in a DRS/HA cluster.

Check out the following link to see what is and is not supported with respect to Microsoft clusters and VMware.

http://www.vmware.com/pdf/vi3_35/esx_3/r35u2/vi3_35_25_u2_mscs.pdf

[NZSewell]

Thanks.

I have a new server which I have put ESXi 4 on, the other Server is 3.5 and I'm not looking to upgrade.

It will be CCR with each Guest Server having its own storage, so effectively to completely seperate entites, just clustered.

Dave