Configuring and Managing Virtual Networks

Module 5

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You Are Here

Course Introduction
Introduction to Virtualization Creating Virtual Machines VMware vCenter Server Configuring and Managing Virtual Networks Configuring and Managing vSphere Storage Virtual Machine Management

Data Protection Access and Authentication Control Resource Management and Monitoring High Availability and Fault Tolerance Host Scalability Patch Management Installing VMware vSphere Components

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Importance
VMware vSphere ESXi networking features allow the following: Virtual machines to communicate with other virtual and physical machines Management of the ESXi host The VMkernel to access IP-based storage and perform VMware vSphere vMotion migrations Failure to properly configure ESXi networking can negatively affect virtual machine management and storage operations.

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Module Lessons

Lesson 1: Lesson 2:

Introduction to vNetwork Standard Switches Configuring Standard Virtual Switch Policies

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Lesson 1: Introduction to vNetwork Standard Switches

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Learner Objectives

After this lesson, you should be able to do the following: Define a virtual network. Describe a virtual switch. Describe the virtual switch connection types. Describe the components of a vNetwork standard switch. Create a vNetwork standard switch.

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What Is a Virtual Network? What Is a Virtual Switch?

A virtual network provides networking for hosts and virtual machines. A virtual switch:

Directs network traffic between virtual machines and links to external networks. Combines the bandwidth of multiple network adapters and balances traffic among them. It can also handle physical network interface card (NIC) failover. Models a physical Ethernet switch:

Virtual NIC

Virtual NIC

Virtual NIC

Physical NIC
vmnic0 vmnic1

A virtual machines NIC can connect to a port. Each uplink adapter uses one port.
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Types of Virtual Switch Connections

A virtual switch allows the following connection types: One or more virtual machine port groups VMkernel port:

For IP storage, vMotion migration, VMware vSphere Fault Tolerance For the ESXi management network

Production

Test Dev

DMZ

vMotion Management

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Virtual Switch Connection Examples

More than one network can coexist on the same virtual switch, or networks can exist on separate virtual switches.

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Types of Virtual Switches

A virtual network supports two types of virtual switches: vNetwork standard switches:

Virtual switch configuration for a single host Discussed in this module Virtual switches that provide a consistent network configuration for virtual machines as they migrate across multiple hosts

vNetwork distributed switches:

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Standard Virtual Switch Components

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Default Standard Virtual Switch Configuration

Display standard virtual switches.

Enable IPv6 on ESXi host.

Delete the virtual switch.

Display virtual switch properties.

Display port group properties.

Display Cisco Discovery Protocol information.

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Standard Virtual Switch Ports

You can change the number of ports on a standard virtual switch.

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Network Adapter Properties

For each physical adapter, speed and duplex can be changed. You might need to set the speed and duplex for certain NIC and switch combinations.

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VLANs

ESXi supports 802.1Q VLAN tagging. Virtual switch tagging is one of three tagging policies supported. Packets from a virtual machine are tagged as they exit the virtual switch. Packets are untagged as they return to the virtual machine. Affect on performance is minimal.

ESXi provides VLAN support by giving a port group a VLAN ID.

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Physical Network Considerations

Discuss VMware vSphere networking needs with your network administration team. Discuss the following issues: Number of physical switches Network bandwidth required Physical switch support for 802.3AD (for NIC teaming) Physical switch support for 802.1Q (for VLAN trunking) Network port security Cisco Discovery Protocol (CDP) and its operational modes: listen, broadcast, listen and broadcast, and disabled.

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Lab 5

In this lab, you will create a standard virtual switch and port group. 1. View the current standard virtual switch configuration. 2. Create a standard virtual switch with a virtual machine port group. 3. Attach your virtual machine to a virtual switch port group.

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Review of Learner Objectives

You should be able to do the following: Define a virtual network. Describe a virtual switch. Describe the virtual switch connection types. Describe the components of a vNetwork standard switch. Create a vNetwork standard switch.

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Lesson 2: Configuring Standard Virtual Switch Policies

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Learner Objectives

After this lesson, you should be able to describe the security properties of a standard virtual switch port group: Security Traffic shaping NIC teaming policies

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Network Policies

Three network policies: Security Traffic shaping NIC teaming Policies are defined: At the standard virtual switch level:

Default policies for all the ports on the standard virtual switch Effective policies: Policies defined at this level override the default policies set at the standard virtual switch level.

At the port or port group level:

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Security Policy

Administrators can configure layer 2 Ethernet security options at the standard virtual switch and at the port groups.

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Traffic-Shaping Policy

Network traffic shaping is a mechanism for controlling a virtual machines network bandwidth. Average rate, peak rate, and burst size are configurable.

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Configuring Traffic Shaping

Traffic shaping is disabled by default. Parameters apply to each virtual NIC in the standard virtual switch. On a standard switch, traffic shaping controls outbound traffic only.

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NIC Teaming Policy

NIC Teaming settings: Load Balancing (outbound only) Network Failure Detection Notify Switches Failback Failover Order

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Load-Balancing Method: Originating Virtual Port ID

virtual switch

physical switch

virtual NICs
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physical NICs
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Load-Balancing Method: Source MAC Hash

Internet

virtual switch

physical switch

virtual NICs

physical NICs
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Load-Balancing Method: IP-Hash

Internet

virtual switch

physical switch

virtual NICs

physical NICs
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Detecting and Handling Network Failure

Network failure is detected by the VMkernel, which monitors: Link state only Link state, plus beaconing Switches can be notified whenever: A failover event occurs A new virtual NIC is connected to the virtual switch Failover implemented by the VMkernel based on configurable parameters: Failback:

How physical adapter is returned to active duty after recovering from failure

Load-balancing option:
Use explicit failover order. Always use the highest order uplink from the list of active adapters that pass failover detection criteria.
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Review of Learner Objectives

You should be able to describe the security properties of a standard virtual switch port group: Security Traffic shaping NIC teaming policies

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Key Points

There are two connection types on a virtual switch: virtual machine and VMkernel. A standard virtual switch is a virtual switch configuration for a single host. Network policies set at the standard virtual switch level can be overridden at the port group level.

Questions?

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