Connecting a VM when a VDS is in use

[CraigV75]

Hi all,

Where does a VM get connected to when using a VDS in ESXi 6.5? To the port group or LAG?

I am trying to understand how this all works as I have deployed a VDS for a project at work, but cannot get the VM to be contactable on the network (Destination host unreachable) when doing a ping to the VM.

Thanks!

[imacfj]

a VDS is more of a logical construct, so you have to configure the uplinks from the hosts that are required and the port groups for the VM network

how do you have the VDS set up currently?

[CraigV75]

OK, so I have gone and trashed it and want to start from scratch.

Creating the VDS is easy-enough, but when using a LAG, do the VDS ports get assigned to it? Or is it separate?

[SureshKumarMuth]

LAG is more related to external (physical connectivity) how the ESXi is connected to switch with LACP or not. If you are taking about port assignment in VDS for VM, then it is completely software and logical, When a VM is started , port will be assigned in VDS by vCenter server depends on the settings (static or dynamic).

[daphnissov]

Just as a side note, if you're licensed for a vDS, there's really no reason to also use any sort of LAG with them as the vDS has more capabilities than something like LACP or EtherChannel can provide.

[CraigV75]

So even if LACP is enabled on the Forti switches I don't need to use a LAG on the VDS?

Just create the VDS, assign uplink ports to it (in this case 8 and all ACTIVE) and go from there? How do I then connect the VMs to them? By selecting the VDS port group in the vmnic drop down?

Thanks!

[daphnissov]

No, if LACP is already enabled on the physical side, you should use LACP on the vDS. My point is if you're already licensed for a vDS you don't *have* to use LACP ​anywhere. And, actually, not using LAGs with vDS gives you more flexibility than using them. It's a common misconception (usually held by network engineers) that a LAG is the only way to utilize multiple uplinks in parallel when, in fact, it's not true when it comes to vSphere.

[CraigV75]

OK thanks a lot. Is there any documentation around this? What I am trying to do isn't hard but for some reason I can't get the test VM running correctly, and maybe this is it. COnfiguration mismatch on the Fortis and VMware.

[daphnissov · Accepted solution]

You can refer to the vSphere Networking guide over on the documentation page.

If you're having difficulties with networking, then the first recommendation would be to blow away any and all LAGs you have and first try with regular, disparate ports.

[imacfj]

Just a side note regarding assigning all uplinks to the vDS, it's recomended to create different vDS's for different workloads. so for instance, assign two uplinks to a storage vDS, 2 to a mgmt vDS etc.

As with LACP, if you already have your vDS deployed, navigate to it through the vSphere web client -> manage tab -> Settings -> LACP and configure from there

Once you have your switch deployed, you can then create dPort groups for your VMs (you can choose your created dport group through the network drop down within the VM settings)

[nesil]

DS in ESXi 6.5? To the port group or LAG

thanks   alot.

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