Scenario 1:3 – Multiple Simple Networks Providing Redundancy and Link Aggregation 802.3ad (LACP) with VLAN Tunneling –
VMware ESX 44
Defining two new vNets via GUI
1.
Create a vNet and name it “vNet-PROD-1”
•
On the Virtual Connect Manager screen, click Define, Ethernet Network to create a vNet
•
Ether the Network Name of “vNet-PROD-1”
a.
Select Enable VLAN Tunneling
b.
Optionally select Smart Link, but, do NOT select Private Networks
•
Select Add Port, then add the following ports;
a.
Enclosure 1, Bay 1, Ports1 & 2
•
Leave Connection Mode as Auto
•
Select Apply
2.
Create a vNet and name it “vNet-PROD-2”
•
On the Virtual Connect Manager screen, click Define, Ethernet Network to create a vNet
•
Ether the Network Name of “vNet-PROD-2”
a.
Select Enable VLAN Tunneling
b.
Optionally select Smart Link, but, do NOT select Private Networks
•
Select Add Port, then add the following ports;
a.
Enclosure 1, Bay 2, Ports 1 & 2
•
Leave Connection Mode as Auto
•
Select Apply
Note: By creating TWO vNets we have provided a redundant path to the network. As each uplink pair
originates from a different VC module within each vNet, both uplinks pairs will be active. This
configuration provides the ability to lose an uplink cable/pair, network switch or depending on how the
NICs are configured at the server (teamed or un-teamed), even a VC module.
Note: Smart Link – In this configuration Smartlink SHOULD be enabled. Smartlink is used to turn off
downlink ports within Virtual Connect if ALL available uplinks to a vNet or SUS are down. In this scenario
if an upstream switch or all cables to a vNet were to fail, VC would turn off the downlink ports connect to
that vNet, which would then force the NIC Teaming software to fail-over to the alternate NIC.
Defining a new vNet via CLI
The following command(s) can be copied and pasted into an SSH based CLI session with Virtual Connect
# Create the vNet "vNet-PROD" and configure uplinks as discussed above
add Network vNet-PROD-1
add uplinkport enc0:1:1 Network=vNet-PROD-1 speed=auto
add uplinkport enc0:1:2 Network=vNet-PROD-1 speed=auto
set network vNet-PROD-1 SmartLink=Enabled VLanTunnel=Enabled
add Network vNet-PROD-2
add uplinkport enc0:2:1 Network=vNet-PROD-2 speed=auto
add uplinkport enc0:2:2 Network=vNet-PROD-2 speed=auto
set network vNet-PROD-2 SmartLink=Enabled VLanTunnel=Enabled
