Removing 2nd service console

[JustyC]

Currently reconfiguring hosts that have a vSwitch configured for iSCSI.  I came across some hosts that have 2 vmnics in the "active" group.

There is 1 vmk and 1 vswif1.  I'd like to remove vswif1, create a second vmk port for iSCSI and then create vswif1 again in a different vSwitch.

The service console (vswif0) created when the hosts were built resides in a separate switch and will remain untouched.  Can vswif1 (service console 2) be safely removed on the fly and with no effect to vmk (iSCSI) ?

[zXi_Gamer]

Can vswif1 (service console 2) be safely removed on the fly and with no effect to vmk (iSCSI) ?

Why yes, it can be removed, since the iSCSI traffic is headed by the VMKernel TCPIP stack, it should not be affected by removing the service console. However, it is safe to have confirmed that the vmkernel portgroup vmk1 is having the gateway configured properly and does not get lost in the middle when the vswif1 is removed.

Also, when you are removing vswif1 from vSwitchB, why are you creating vswif2 [naming] in another switch instead of vswif1[naming] itself?

[Rubeck]

Can vswif1 (service console 2) be safely removed on the fly and with no effect to vmk (iSCSI) ?

Depends on the ESX version.... In ESX 3 you would need a service console to do the initial setup and authentication when connecting to iSCSI targets..

/Rubeck

[JustyC]

I checked the gateway for iSCSI vmk1  -  it is the same gateway as configured for vswif0 and vswif1.  I wanted to remove vswif1 form the vSwitch configured for iSCSI vmk1 and add a second vmk to the same switch.  Afterwards create a new vswif1 in a vSwitch other than the one used for iSCSI.  Wasn't sure if removing vswif1 would cause some storage connection issue since it's in the vSwitch for iSCSI.  From what you are saying as long as the default gateway for vmk1 remains intact then there should not be any issues.

[JustyC]

We are running ESX 4.0 U2.  vCenter is version 5.  vSwitch 0 was created when the host was built and only has a service console for vswif0, which would not be touched.  ESXTop shows activity on vswif0 and vswif1 - more on vswif0.  I only want to remove vswif1 from the iSCSI vSwitch - without incurring any storage related issues.