Assigning Physical NICS to Different Physical Networks

[tymbrwlf]

I have two Dell PE1950's that I am using as ESX 3.5 Servers. Both machines have two GB on-board NICS (vmnic0 & vmnic1) and an additional add-in card with 2 GB ports (vmnic2 & vmnic3). The SC is bound to vmnic0. My SC is running on 172.32.0.x. I would like to assign my Storage network NIC port to 172.42.0.x. How do I assign those other NICS to different networks? No matter what I try to do in Virtual Center (v 2.5), it keeps putting the physical NICS into the same IP range as the SC. I think I'm just not understanding virtual and physical NICS.

And assistance would be very much appreciated. Thanks in advance

[polysulfide]

Make sure that the NIC is already in the network segment you want it to be on.

Make sure that the NIC isn't assigned to one of your other switches or consoles.

Create a new Service Console, give it an IP on your desired subnet and assign it to the physical NIC you want to use.

Also make sure to enable the NFS / iSCSI client in the firewall.

You should be able to reach NFS and iSCSI storage on that segment afterward.

If you're trying to do VLAN trunking type configuration, please let us know and give us a little more information regarding your switches.

[tymbrwlf]

Make sure that the NIC is already in the network segment you want it to be on.

This is what I am unsure of how to do. It's a fresh install of ESX 3.5 and as far as I know, the only physical NIC with any IP information assigned to it is the original service console (which I assigned during installation). How do I put it into the correct segment?

[tymbrwlf]

Anyone? I have followed polysulfide's response, but no matter what, the physical nic is being put into the same IP range as the SC.

[cmanucy · Accepted solution]

Ok, if I'm understanding your problem...

In VC, on the ESX host, go and add another vSwitch.

Now, add the vmnic (1?) you want, and add it to that switch.

Add vmkernel (with IP scheme you want) and Service Console (needs IP as well, on same network).

Set VLAN up, if needed.

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Carter Manucy

[tymbrwlf]

It seems to work correctly now. I guess the order in which I was doing things was where I was messing up. Thanks

[tymbrwlf]

I have a follow up question: Does every physical NIC need to have a Service Console?

[depping]

No, you only need 1 service console.

Duncan

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