Adding NSX to an existing vRA 7 deployment

[TimR26]

Going to post this here and in the vRA section.

I have an existing vRA 7 deployment with a management and compute cluster. We have blueprints that use an external network profile (specifying a portgroup on a vDS), and have machines deployed and in use from these blueprints. We want to add NSX into the mix. I have performed a NSX deployment in the past but it was deployed before vRA was configured.

My question is can I deploy NSX and add the compute cluster without impacting the existing vRA deployed VMs (aside from ESXi reboots during the preparation phase)?

A little bit of context behind the use of NSX. We want to create "isolated" blueprints (not attached to the existing "wire") for R&D type stuff. We also want to use it for clientless AV/Malware scanning/protection.

I may be answering my question but if I create a new vDS specifically for NSX, wouldn't that be enough to configure/prepare the compute cluster for NSX? To add, I would also do all the configuration to integrate NSX with vRA, etc. With this logic, could I not be able to continue to deploy my existing blueprints using my existing network profile in parallel with new blueprints that leverage NSX logical switches on a predefined logical router to create my "isolated" VMs?

[vmwsmitmartijn · Accepted solution]

Hi Tim,

You can run both NSX and 'traditional' port groups on the same VDS at the same time. You would actually have to, unless you want an entirely isolated virtual network (you need a VLAN backend uplink to connect to the physical network for routing).

What you would do is prepare the current cluster for NSX usage (host preparation, create transport zone, etc) and connect vRA to the NSX Manager of your existing vCenter that you're currently using for the regular deployments. When that is done and NSX is hooked up to vRA and it's preparations are done, you would be able to create new blueprints with the NSX networking objects (isolated, NAT or routed network). You don't have to adjust your existing blueprints.