Tweeking Virtual Network Editor

[achleman]

My VMware Workstation is running on a multi-NIC HP c blade (some NICs are used for iSCSI SAN) with only one physical NIC exposed to the host OS. My VM running W2K8 R2 configured in a bridged network cannot ping the external physical network. How can I tweek Virtual Network Editor my bridged network is on VMNet0 which has three check boxes next to the three detected physical NICs? How can I know which of the three physical NICs detected is available to the host?

[Scissor · Accepted solution]

From the Virtual Network Editor, highlight VMnet0 in the top half of the window, and in the bottom half of the window change the "Bridged to" dropdown list from "Automatic" to the specific adapter you want to use for bridging.

As to which specific adapter you want to use for bridging, that answer is specific to your Host's configuration. Perhaps running "ipconfig /all" from a CMD prompt will help you determine which adapter is the correct one to use?

[achleman]

Thank you for the concise support on the external NIC connection. My VM running W2K8 R2 is the head node of an HPC cluster. How do I create a separate private NIC to connect to the VM compute nodes running on in a private network (in a VMware Workstation team)?

[Scissor]

Thank you for the concise support on the external NIC connection. My VM running W2K8 R2 is the head node of an HPC cluster. How do I create a separate private NIC to connect to the VM compute nodes running on in a private network (in a VMware Workstation team)?

Can you draw a quick diagram explaining the configuration you are looking to achieve?

[achleman]

If you download the HPC Server 2008 Design and Deployment Guide: http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?FamilyID=6E20FBA5-CE39-44B1-8B3D-76CB31C01A70&di... (see page 33 Appendix 1 Topology 1) you might get the idea. Currently, I have the Enterprise network with host physical NIC exposure on my VM running W2K8 R2 acting as the HPC Head Node. Now I need to configure a private LAN on the same VM, in order to connect the HPC Compute Nodes on VMs (configured in a VMware Workstation Team) to the the Head Node via separate intranet. Not sure how to configure the virtual switch for the VM running W2K8 to connect to the teamed Compute Nodes. Many thanks.

[Scissor]

If you download the HPC Server 2008 Design and Deployment Guide: http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?FamilyID=6E20FBA5-CE39-44B1-8B3D-76CB31C01A70&di... (see page 33 Appendix 1 Topology 1) you might get the idea.

I will attach a copy of the diagram to this reply so others can see the same picture.

Currently, I have the Enterprise network with host physical NIC exposure on my VM running W2K8 R2 acting as the HPC Head Node. Now I need to configure a private LAN on the same VM, in order to connect the HPC Compute Nodes on VMs (configured in a VMware Workstation Team) to the the Head Node via separate intranet. Not sure how to configure the virtual switch for the VM running W2K8 to connect to the teamed Compute Nodes. Many thanks.

Are all Guest VMs running on the same Host? If so, add a second vNIC to your Head Node Guest and connect it to (for example) the "VMnet2" virtual switch. Then configure your Compute Node Guest vNICs so that they are connected to the same "VMnet2" vSwitch.

Keep in mind that the VMnet2 vSwitch is isolated, so there will not be a DHCP server handing out IP addresses. You'll want to manually configure each Guest vNIC connected to VMnet2 with a static IP address (or connect a Guest running a DHCP server to to VMnet2 network).

[achleman]

VMware Workstation is installed on a W2K3 Std host with an iSCSI SAN-attached blade.

All VMs (head and compute nodes) will be running on this W2K3 host.

The compute nodes must also join the AD domain running on the head node.

I thought it was possible to manually configure DHCP on a VMNet2 vSwitch (with 192.168.198.0 scope).