Setting up a VM Edge Transport Node

[thierryn]

Hi,

Can anyone provide me with more clear details about how to setup a VM Edge Transport Node ?

I've read that this node should be linked to one overlay TZ as well as one VLAN-based TZ.

Please find my small setup in attachment.

When I configure the VM Edge Transport Node, I do not really see how to configure both N-VDS as I can only connect my Edge Node to the "skylight-transit" logical switch (the VLAN-based switch) or the VM Network VSS.

Any guidance would be really appreciated.

Thierry

[serbl]

Hi,

The Edge node has its own internal N-VDS. Normally (from version 2.5) you configure one N-VDS with two uplinks that connect to two vSphere port groups (VDS or VSS) configured as trunks. These N-VDS uplinks are used for both the VLAN traffic (North-South traffic) and overlay traffic (East-West traffic).

Best practice is to have a separate VLAN transport zone for Edge node VLAN traffic, but this is not a requirement. The Edge node is also assigned to the overlay transport zone.

Keep in mind that the Edge node is nothing more than an empty "container" providing compute and network to logical routers. So, it's not until you actually create and configure a Tier-0 gateway that you actually start using the Edge node.

[thierryn]

Hi Rutger,

Many thanks for your help !

Sorry for this perhaps basic questions, but I still have some issues.

Based on your feedback, I've adapted the lab (see file attached).

I've create a VDS and have linked one vmnic per host (I do not have multiple vmnic available, but it's OK for my first lab).

When I create the Edge VM, I create the corresponding n-vds and link it to the VDS through the TEP creation.

What I do not understand is that I get an error message telling me that there is no host switch that uses the overlay nvds ??!!

To summarize, I have 1 transport zone with one n-vds overlay in it.

Both ESX hosts use this transport zone.

In this transport zone, I create one edge nvds during the edge VM creation.

Both hosts are connected to the VDS.

Thanks again for your support !!

Thierry

[mauricioamorim]

NSX-T Reference Design Guide is your best source of information to understand this. Have you looked at it? VMware® NSX-T Reference Design