Who is Chris Wahl?• VMware Certified Design Expert (VCDX) #104▫ Data Center and Network Virtualization

• Tech, Lab, Certs, Reviews, Videos▫ WahlNetwork.com

• CCNA Data Center & vCloud Courses▫ Pluralsight.com

• Virtualization User Podcast as a Service▫ VUPaaS.com

Networking for VMware AdministratorsPaperback, Kindle, eBook, EPUB, MOBI, PDF100% of my profits go to Alzheimer’s Association

vSphere Switching ChoicesAdding racing stripes makes frames go faster

Different Choices• Standard vSwitch• Distributed vSwitch• 3rd Party Virtual Switches▫ Cisco Nexus 1000v▫ IBM 5000v

• Bender Bending Rodríguez

Who’s Using the Distributed vSwitch?

Control Plane Differences

Control Plane

ESXi Host

Control Plane

ESXi Host

Control Plane

ESXi Host

Control Plane (vCenter)

dvsdata.db dvsdata.db dvsdata.db

Local VDS Database Backup

Data Plane Differences

ESXi Host ESXi Host ESXi Host

Data Path Data Path Data Path

Control Plane

Data Network

Virtual Switching Tips

Trunk 802.1Q Tags

(VLANs)

Minimum 2 Uplinks (vmnics)

Descriptive Naming

Networking JargonThe Layer 8 Problem

Trunks, Trunks, or Trunks?

Vendor Confusion• Link Aggregation Terms▫ HP’s Port Trunking▫ Avaya’s Multi-Link Trunking (many flavors)▫ Huawei’s Eth-Trunk▫ AIX Ethernet Trunking▫ Generic “NIC Trunking”

VLAN ID Tagging

NoVLAN ID

NoVLAN ID

Virtual Switch

Physical Switch

Virtual Machine (VM)

ExternalSwitchTagging

Access PortRemoves Tags

VirtualSwitchTagging

vSwitch Adds / Removes

VLAN ID Tags

VLANID

VLANID Virtual

GuestTagging

Guest Responsible for VLAN Tags

Example vSwitch Design

VLAN Tagging Tips• Trunk Your Interfaces• Avoid VLAN 1• Black Hole Native VLANs

Switching, Routing, and TablesOh, my!

Forwarding Walk

vSwitches Can’t Form Loops

Routing Choices

10.10.10.10 /24 20.20.20.20 /24 30.30.30.30 /24

vmk0 vmk1 vmk2

Routing Table

Data Network

10.10.10.50?20.20.20.50?40.40.40.50?

vMotion and MAC Learning

ESXi Host ESXi Host ESXi Host

VMMAC“A”

Physical Switch

E1/1MAC“A”

E1/2MAC“A”

The Notify Switch RARP Frame

Troubleshooting Tips

esxcli network ip route ipv4 list

esxcli network ip neighbor list

esxcfg-route -l

IP Storage NetworksWhat could possibly go wrong?

Building an IP Storage Network

IP Storage Port GroupActive / Active Uplinks

vmnic1 vmnic2

IP Storage Network30.30.30.0 /24

vmk130.30.30.50 /24

Building an IP Storage Network

IP Storage Port GroupActive / Active Uplinks

vmnic1 vmnic2

IP Storage Network30.30.30.0 /24

vmk130.30.30.50 /24

Building an IP Storage Network

IP Storage Port GroupActive / Active Uplinks

vmnic1 vmnic2

IP Storage Network30.30.30.0 /24

vmk130.30.30.50 /24

Hash Algorithm• Source and Destination Variation▫ MAC Address (Layer 2)▫ IP Address (Layer 3)▫ Port (Layer 4)▫ VLAN ID

Hash Results• Changes?▫ IP Address▫ MAC Address▫ Port Number▫ VLAN ID

• Nope▫ Same hash results

vmnic1 vmnic2

Storage Target30.30.30.60 /24

vmk130.30.30.50 /24

Least Significant Bit (Not Magic)2 Uplinks

– Last bit

– 0,1

3 to 4 Uplinks

– Last 2 bits

– 00, 01, 10, 11

5 to 8 Uplinks

– Last 3 bits

– 000,001,010,etc

IP Storage Tips• Dedicated VMK(s)• Dedicated VLAN(s)• Avoid Routing• iSCSI VMK Binding

Fibre Channel SAN• Unique VSAN IDs per Fabric• Don’t use VSAN 1• Single Initiator Zoning▫ Edge SAN: Multiple Target▫ Core-Edge SAN: Single Target

• Don’t use Multiple Initiator Zoning▫ Never!▫ Registered State Change Notifications (RSCN)

The End?

Let’s connect

@ChrisWahlWahlNetwork.comPluralsight.comYouTube.com/WahlNetwork