ESX 4.1 NIC config

[Mikey]

I've started at a new company and the setup isn't great TBH.

Currently looking at changing the ESX network config as at present the config is

6 NICs in the servers
5 x assigned SC, Vmotion and vmnetwork.
1 x nic to be connected to the DMZ - no it's bloody not going to be and over my dead body. If they want to do it on the cheap, spare server, DAS storage and ESXi! Although I am aware that ESX is EAL4+
Storage is fibre attached to an EMC SAN.

So my thoughts.

SC and Vmotion together on 2 x NICs
VM network with the remaining 4 x NICs

Then "trunk" the ports on the HP Switch and setup for LACP with the correct Teaming config in ESX which if I remember is route based ip hash.

Shame they have got the license for a distributed vSwitch.

 

[tris179]

Hello....

If I was you I would have

2 x vMotion (as this is hard hitting when in use)
4 x VMNetwork and Service Console.


Is there any reason why you not using ESXi or Version 5? Is this just one host\multiple, do you have vCentre also?

I know some compaines do have DMZ servers shared with internal Lan traffic, as long as the vLans\routing are set correctly you should have no problems with sec. It has been something that I have been considering for a while but never inplemented.

 

[m4cc45]

I'd upgrade firstly if possible.

Then I'd have 2 assigned to SC / VMotion (vMotion isn't really hard hitting at all - basically transferring the VM's state at that point in time) the only reason for two is redundancy.

The VM network should have the most as these are going to be the most hit.



M.

 

[Mikey]

Pretty much my thoughts.

Yup hope to upgrade to esxi 5 ASAP

Reason they aren't on esxi4 is due to reseller recommending 4 ?? Personally I think that's
A ) reseller doesn't know what they are talking about
B) reseller trying to "cash in"

 

[tris179]

I agree your reseller should have recommend ESXi as ESX is now old techology and dos not exist in version 5

As for the NIC configuration I strongly advise putting vMotion on its only nics, it is the recommended configuration for this to be on its own network and unless you are using vLan tagging at the port group level already this justs adds unnecessary complication. 4 Nics for VM Traffic and SC is more than enough.

vMotion will use 100% of the network bandwidth whilst in use. Whilst this may not happen very often when vMotion occurs it requires high throughput.

You should be able to change to ESXi 4\5 without any issues, unless you have any software ie backups that require the existence of the Service Console.