Configure and Manage vSphere Standard Switches (vSS)

1

Knowledge

• Identify vSS capabilities
  • Routes traffic internally between virtual machines and links to external networks
  • Allows for multiple port groups configured with different policies
    • Allows for VLANs
    • Create network labels for virtual machine virtual adapters to attach to (is unique within the current datacentre)
  • Balance communication across multiple network adapters for load and/or resilience
  • Configurable to handle physical NIC failure by failing over to another physical NIC
  • Maximum of 256 port groups
  • Supports EtherChannel but not LACP
  • Source Port and Source MAC Load Balancing but not LB
• vSS-dSS comparison
  
• Configuration Maximums
  
• Add/Configure/Remove vmnics on a vSS
  Use C# client, Web client, esxcli, PowerCLIAdd via Web Client:
  • Hosts and Cluster view
  • Select host
  • Manage > Networking > Virtual Switches
  • Click on “Manage the physical network adapters connected to the selected switch” 
  • Click the [+] and select the vmnic to add
• Configure vmkernel ports for network services
  Easiest to select in GUI (Web client or C#)
  Tickboxes to enable services (vMotion/FT/Management/vSAN)
  
• Add/Edit/Remove port groups on a vSS
  Use C# client, Web client, esxcli, PowerCLIAdd via Web Client:
  • Hosts and Cluster view
  • Select host
  • Manage > Networking > Virtual Switches
  • Click on “Add host networking”
  • Select “Virtual Machine Port Group for a Standard Switch”, Next
  • Select “Select an existing standard switch”, Next
  • Input the Network Label (name of the Port Group) and VLAN ID
  • Next, and Finish
• Determine use cases for a vSphere Standard Switch
  • No Ent+ license
  • Management cluster

Tools

• vSphere Installation and Setup Guide
• vSphere Networking Guide
• vSphere Web Client
• vSphere Client