SG300-10 Passing multiple IPs through single data link

[webeindustry]

I'm quite ignorant and trying to figure out something that is probably very basic. If someone can point me in the correct direction that would be great. Not asking for someone to do all the work for me, just inform me that it can be done, and maybe suggest a few documents ... or better would be fine. 

So I've built out a server for the purpose of learning ESXI. I've purchased a 16 block of IP addresses, and have a total of 14 usable (13+passthrough) static IPs to play with. My motherboard has built in quad lan, and I currently have a few VMs running through it. That's fine, except it doesn't get me where I want to be, and that's running even more VMs on the block I got. 

I'm trying to figure out how I go from my router, which has 4 lan connections, to the switch, which has 10 ports, to the mobo, which has quad lan, and pass through multiple IPs through each link. This is possible, correct? I've briefly read just a touch on this, and it seems I need to tap into the router's CLI to flip it from a layer 2 to layer 3 switch. After that, I'm clueless. Yes, I'm this ignorant, but more than willing to learn all that is necessary. 

My main goal is 6 months out, to start a career in IT. My plan to get there involves first setting up a home ESXI lab, messing around with lab guides for a few weeks, then starting continuing education courses to fast track towards CCNA, and VCP5 certifications. I'm also going to be taking some bash scripting courses, and hoping this combo will lay a solid foundation to get me in the door at the bottom and put in my time like everyone else. 

I need just a little guidance at this point. It IS possible to pass multiple IPs through a single cable/link, correct? Can someone help me out a little bit?

Much appreciated. 

Brandon

[devils_advocate]

Hi Brandon

Presumably the IP addresses are Public IP addresses which were given to you by your ISP?

Are you just looking to setup some Virtual Machines on the ESX-i host and have each virtual machine on a separate Public IP address?

Thanks

[webeindustry]

Hello d_a,

This is correct. 13 of the IP addresses are public, and 1 is a passthrough. I assigned the passthrough to my lappy, have two private IP for the chromecast and android, and the 13 will be used for testing purposes on ESX-I. 

Pretty sure I figured it out. Though I had the quad lan hooked up from the NVG589 router provided by att directly into the motherboard, and assumed this was a 1 for 1 with each VM I had created, upon investigation realized one virtual switch connected to one link was actually operational. So the IPs were already being used as I needed. No work necessary. 

For the next 3 weeks I'm going to be following lab scenarios from this PDF:

http://pubs.vmware.com/vsphere-50/topic/com.vmware.ICbase/PDF/vsphere-esxi-vcenter-server-50-examples-scenarios-guide.pdf

So my plan isn't simply to have VMs per say, I want to create a lab environment for the purpose of learning about potential datacenter setups, and issues associated with it, how to maintenance, upgrade, install, repair, etc... I'm most interested in learning to script failover services in the long run. Tying in the networking end, I plan on getting the CCNA, and would like to mess around with the switch to have an inkling of what I'm getting into before starting class in January. I took A+, Network+ courses some 13 years ago, and have since forgot the bulk of it. 

Think today will be a simple play day. I actually just got the block of IPs and server operational yesterday. 

Thanks for bothering to reply. Wow do I feel like a complete noob!

[devils_advocate]

We all have to start (or restart in your case) somewhere :)
You learn the best by doing it in my experience, books can only get you so far!

It look me a while to get the concept of networking in regards to VMWare ESX-i but eventually I understood how things worked and when I need to work on the VM stuff, I can figure it out fairly quickly.

ESX-i is capable of Port Channelling which is effectively bundling your 4 physical network adapters into a single logical adapter between the Switch and the Physical hosts. You can setup a Trunk port and have the ESXi host tag each of the packets with the corresponding VLAN ID which means each of your VM's can be on a different subnet but pass traffic across the logical port channel link. This may not be something you want to do right now but it tends to be how a lot of ESX-i setups are done in the enterprise environment.