Esxi 6.5 - Add a internal VMkernel nic for management

[laurentfdumont]

Hey everyone,

Random question, what is the preferred way to expose the management interface within a vswitch. I have two R710 directly connected to each other using two nics (there is no switch in between).

Here is what I have done on both servers :

• I have created an vswitch for with those two ports as uplinks.
• I have created a Port-Group.
• I have created VMs on both servers and attached them to the corresponding Port-Group.
• VMs on both servers can reach each other.

What I want to do is to allow for the ESXi Management to be reachable directly by hosts within the Vswitch.

• If I attach a vmkernel IP address to that Port-Group, I cannot attach VM to that port-group anymore but the IPs are reachable.
• If I create another Port-Group that I attached to that Vswitch and add a Kernel IP with the management option enabled.
  • Only hosts attached to that specific vswitch can reach the management IP.
  • That is the case for the the two vswitch. VMs on each vswitch can only reach the KernelNIC attached to that vswitch.

What else could I try?

Thanks!

[a_p_]

Welcome to the Community,

I'm not sure whether I understand your question correctly. Are you saying that you want the ESXi host Management to be only accessible from the VMs on the hosts? Please clarify.

André

[laurentfdumont]

Hi,

If possible, I'd like the management (ssh or web interface) to be also available from VM on the hosts (accross both servers). The actual "management" NIC is defined on a seperate NIC with a public address but I wanted to migrate to an internal address.

Thank you

[a_p_]

Still not 100% sure about your current setup, and what exactly you are trying to do.

Anyway, it may be worth trying to disconnect one of the direct links between the hosts, to see whether this works. In case this works, you may need to configure/override the port groups' failover policies.

André