ESXi vmkernel inside 1000v

[Jeremy Waldrop]

What is the value add of putting the vmkernel ports under the 1000v management? We have always put the SC/Management/vMotion on standard vSwitches and then put the VM networking vmnics on the 1000v.

Having the SC/management/vmotion on standard vswitches really simplifies deployment and troubleshooting.

The 1000v is a VM networking access switch right? so why would you put management or vmotion on it?

We also have been putting the VSM VMs on the same standard vswitch as SC/management.

I see a lot of people trying to put everything under the 1000v management and it seems that is where most of deployment and troubleshooting issues.

It can really get fun if your 1000v isn't working and you have put your ESX management on it.

I can see it being required for environments that only have 2 vmnics and as more people migrate to 10G/FCoE they may only have 2 NICs.

[abbharga]

Hi Jeremy,

The N1k is and was never projected as a switch for VM management network only. You can have your entire Vmware virtual infrastructure networking being taken care by the N1K.

Moving your managment interfaces (SC, vmkernel and VSM interfaces) behind the N1K would give you the same benefits as you get for having the VM interfaces on the N1K i.e. ALL the benifits and features the N1K provides.

As long as the configuration is done correctly, the essential interfaces e.g. SC, vmk would always be available even if there are issues with the N1K VSM.

You can looks the following deployment guide for some more details and inouts in case you have not had a chance to take a look at it yet:

http://www.cisco.com/en/US/prod/collateral/switches/ps9441/ps9902/guide_c07-556626.html

Abhinav

[Jeremy Waldrop]

Thanks Abhinav, we have deployed it both ways but found that implementation and troubleshooting to be much smoother if we only use it as a VM access switch. So far all of our clients have only wanted it for VM networking.