Purpose
This article provides a sample network configuration for isolation and segmentation of virtual machine network traffic.
Resolution
1. Assign the VLAN on vSwitch and or portgroup. Supported VLAN range (1-4094)
2. Set the switch NIC teaming policy to Route based on originating virtual port ID, this is set by default.
VLAN ID 0 (Zero) Disables VLAN tagging on port group (EST Mode)
Note: Incoming traffic NIC teaming is called Ether-channel / LACP. For more information, see Sample
configuration of EtherChannel / Link aggregation with ESX/ESXi and Cisco/HP switches (1004048)
(search.do?cmd=display KC&externalId=1004048) .
Caution: Native VLAN ID on ESX/ESXi VST Mode is not supported. Do not assign a VLAN to a port
group that is same as the native VLAN ID of the physical switch.
Native VLAN packets are not tagged with VLAN ID on the out going traffic toward ESX/ESXi host.
Therefore, if ESXESXi is set VST mode, it drops the packets that are lacking a VLAN tag.
interface GigabitEthernet1/2
switchport (Set to layer 2 switching)
switchport trunk encapsulation dot1q (ESX/ESXi only supports dot1q, not ISL)
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switchport trunk allowed vlan 10-100 (Allowed VLAN to ESX/ESXi . Ensure ESX/ESXi VLANs are allowed)
switchport mode trunk (Set to Trunk Mode)
switchport nonegotiate (DTP is not supported)
no ip address
no cdp enable (ESX 3.5 supports CDP)
spanning-tree portfast trunk (Enables portfast feature- port forwarding)
To assign a VLAN to a port group, there has to be a corresponding VLAN interface for each VLAN on a physical switch
with a designated IP range.
For example:
interface Vlan200
ip address 10.10.100.1 255.255.255.0 (This IP can be used as VLAN 200 Gateway IP)
Note: Once the VLAN ID is defined on Physical Switch, it can be configured for ESX.
If the IP range is assigned to a VLAN, decide if any routing may be required to reach other nodes on the
network.
Note: For additional information on VLAN configuration of a VirtualSwitch (vSwitch) port group, see Configuring a
VLAN on a portgroup (1003825) (http://kb.v mware.com/kb/1003825) .
Additional Information
For related information, see VMware ESX Server 3 802.1Q VLAN Solutions (http://www.vmware.com/pdf/esx3_vlan_wp.pdf) .
Tags
configure-virtual-switch-tagging
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KB Article: 1004074
Products:
VMware ESX
VMware ESXi
VMware VirtualCenter
VMware vCenter Server
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Product Versions:
VMware ESX 3.0.x
VMware ESX 3.5.x
VMware ESX 4.0.x
VMware ESX 4.1.x
VMware ESXi 3.5.x Embedded
VMware ESXi 3.5.x Installable
VMware ESXi 4.0.x Embedded
VMware ESXi 4.0.x Installable
VMware ESXi 4.1.x Embedded
VMware ESXi 4.1.x Installable
VMware VirtualCenter 2.0.x
VMware VirtualCenter 2.5.x
VMware vCenter Server 4.0.x
VMware vCenter Server 4.1.x
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