Planning and Configuring vSphere Networking

In our discussion on vSphere networking, I will address many topics such as vSphere standard switches (vSS), vSphere distributed switches (vDS), port groups, and the properties for all of these. It’s easy to get overwhelmed in all the terminology, especially when most of the components are not something that you can see or hold in your hand. To keep from becoming overwhelmed with the technology, I want you to focus on two primary questions. The first question is, “What type of connections can I create and what do they do?” The second is, “Where does the ‘virtual world’ meet the ‘physical world,’ and how is that point of reference defined?” If you just focus on these two questions, I believe that the rest of the picture will come to your mind.

That said, this section covers configuring vSSs, configuring vDSs, and configuring vSS and vDS policies. In each section, I will explain why these should be configured, and then I will discuss how you can configure them. In addition, I will walk you through the steps to configure each of these settings.

“Do I Know This Already?” Quiz

The “Do I Know This Already?” quiz allows you to assess whether you should read this entire chapter or simply jump to the “Exam Preparation Tasks” section for review. If you are in doubt, read the entire chapter. Table 2-1 outlines the major headings in this chapter and the corresponding “Do I Know This Already?” quiz questions. You can find the answers in Appendix A, “Answers to the ‘Do I Know This Already?’ Quizzes and Chapter Review Questions.”

Table 2-1. “Do I Know This Already?” Section-to-Question Mapping

1. Which of following will result if you choose Add Networking on the Networking link of your ESXi host?

   1. You can add a new VMkernel port to an existing switch.
   2. You can add a new VM port to an existing switch.
   3. You will be creating a new vSS.
   4. You can add a new vmnic to an existing switch.

2. Which of the following is not a common use of a VMkernel port?

   1. IP storage
   2. Storage vMotion
   3. vMotion
   4. Management

3. Which of the following is true about switch and port group policies on a vSS?

   1. Switch settings override port group settings.
   2. You cannot configure port group settings different from switch settings.
   3. There are no switch settings on a vSS.
   4. Port group settings override switch settings for the VMs on the port group.

4. What is the maximum number of hosts that can be connected to a single vDS?

   1. 32
   2. 1000
   3. 350
   4. 100

5. Which of the following is the minimum license requirement to create a vDS?

   1. Enterprise Plus
   2. Enterprise
   3. Advanced
   4. Essentials

6. Which view should you be in to add a host to an existing vDS?

   1. Hosts and Clusters
   2. Networking
   3. vSphere
   4. VMs and Templates

7. Which of the following is not a common policy for vSS switch and port groups?

   1. Traffic shaping
   2. NIC teaming
   3. Permissions
   4. Security

8. Which of the following is true about vDS policies?

   1. Policies set at the port group level override those are the port level.
   2. Policies cannot be set at the port level.
   3. Policies are always set at the port level.
   4. Policies set at the port level override policies set at the port group level.

9. Which of the following is not a load-balancing option in vSphere?

   1. Route based on the originating virtual port ID
   2. Beacon probing
   3. Route based on source MAC hash
   4. Route based on IP hash

10. Which of the following is not a type of private VLAN?

    1. Isolated
    2. Trunking
    3. Promiscuous
    4. Community