Use the same IP Address / NIC for vMotion and Service console - VMware?

[amlife180]

Hello Experts;

I would like to know how I can add vMotion feature to the service console, so they share the same IP Address? I have seen it on ESXi 4.1 but I could not do it on ESX 4.0.

Can someone help?

Thanks

Adam

[MauroBonder]

Welcome,

You need create a one VMK to Service Console with unique IP, and other VMK to VMotion with other IP.

Example:

VMK1: Service Console - IP 10.0.0.1

VMK2: VMotion - IP 10.0.0.2

Prefered each PortGroup with dedicated physical adapter.

look http://www.vmware.com/files/pdf/virtual_networking_concepts.pdf

Regards

[AndreTheGiant]

Welcome to the community.

In the "legacy" ESX the Service Console interface is not able to do vMotion and/or FT.

Only on ESXi the management interface is just a vmkernel interface that can be used also for vMotion and FT (although is not suggested).

Andre

[bulletprooffool]

With ESXi you have no service console, so this was not an issue.

When using ESX, the Service console and the VMKernel port were of 2 different types and handle totally different traffic types-  so the differeing IP addresses are required so that all traffic can be routed correctly - it is not possible to use just 1 IP for both of these (short of simulating a matched IP using some clever Natting - not a good idea)

So in short - you can't do this.

If you 'upgrade' all your ESX hosts to ESXi, you will eliminate the need for the Service console port - thus resolve your IP issue.