NSX-V to NSX-T vs Load Balancing

[ognak]

Hi - quick question - I'm trying to migrate NSX-V load balancers running on a two node cluster to NSX-T. There is no dedicated Edge Cluster / Hosts. The Cluster runs a number of legacy 6.7 vCenter/external load balanced PSCs & vRealize Orchestrator 3 node cluster requiring the load balancing along with other management VMs (Log insight, DCs etc). 

From reading online articles I just need comments on the following to see if I'm heading the right direction:

• I can Deploy two Edge VMs, make a cluster and perform Load balancing with the need to use the advanced load balancer?
• I need a T1 Gateway without being connected to a T0
• I will use a one arm load balancer attached to a vlan segment method
• I'll need two new vLANs for inter Edge communication (overlay) & Management?
• I'll need to use the migration coordinator to migrate each Host one at a time to use the NSX-T vibs
• I'll need to deploy N-VDS on the existing cluster when building the T1 segment?
• I can use the existing physical nics on the two node cluster or I'll need additional nics for the N-VDS to avoid disruption / the migration coordinator will take care of this?

If you have any go to articles for this please share. Any tips / advice welcome as I want to know if I can do this with just two existing hosts - identify any extra vLAN or Physical NIC requirements now and plan / test / lab carefully to avoid disruption. Thanks! 

[NicoRenard]

Hello!

• I can Deploy two Edge VMs, make a cluster and perform Load balancing with the need to use the advanced load balancer? Yes correct. You need to create an edge cluster (with 2 edges at minimum for redundancy but for testing purpose you can put only one) to have the SR functionnalities on your T1.
• I need a T1 Gateway without being connected to a T0 --> For a more "classical" design the better way is to deploy a t0 (edg cluster required) and attached a T1 to your t0 and after create your segments to your t1. Normally you should use an edge cluster for T0 purpose (north south) and one for SR on your t1  to have a segregation and more performance (but it's not mandatory)
• I will use a one arm load balancer attached to a vlan segment method --> Why you want to use a vlan segment? Your VM are on a vlan PG? vlan based also at target or NSX?You will migrate all the VMs to the NSXT cluster no? So in this case you can create overlay segment
• I'll need two new vLANs for inter Edge communication (overlay) & Management? correct with 9000 MTU for overlay 
• I'll need to use the migration coordinator to migrate each Host one at a time to use the NSX-T vibs --> Not mandatory but you can use it. 
• I'll need to deploy N-VDS on the existing cluster when building the T1 segment?What is the version of NSXT you are deploying? You are saying that you are on vsphere 6.7?! Because NVDS is no longer supported since version 4.X and vsphere 6.7 is not supported also since oct or nov (don't remember) so the better way is to go to VDS directly but vSphere >=7.X
• I can use the existing physical nics on the two node cluster or I'll need additional nics for the N-VDS to avoid disruption / the migration coordinator will take care of this? How many NICs you have on your nodes? You can reuse same, but you need to remove one uplink attached to you actual vds, to create the new one for NSXT. No MIgration coordinator will not do this. You need to prepare NSXT environnement before the migration so it's mean preparing Transport Zone so VDS.

Good luck 🙂

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[dragance · Accepted solution]

Hello @ognak - can you check availability of NSX ALB (ex AVI product) with your NSX licenses for LB functions? You will get much more options and it's future ready solution, having in mind that LB feature will leave NSX-T in some future release probably.

BR,

Dragan

[ognak]

Will do - not sure if its part of the bundle they have but will check. Their moves are glacial so might be enough to get them half way there for now but will check. Thanks.