Objective 2.3 – Configure VMware ESX/ESXi Management Network

Modify Service Console IP Settings

To Service Console IP settings can be modified via the vSphere client or the CLI.

UI: Configuration tab > Networking > vSwitch > Properties > Service Console > Edit > Continue Modifying the connection > IP Settings tab > Ok > Close NOTE: the same steps apply for ESXi with the exception of the Service Console is replaced with the VMkernel port.

CLI: esxcfg-vswif -i [x.x.x.x] -n [x.x.x.x] -p [portgroup] or esxcfg-vmknic -i [x.x.x.x] -n [x.x.x.x] -p [portgroup]

Configure Service Console availability

VMware recommends that the Service Console or VMKernel port be configured with dual uplinks to different switches; this will protect against network adapter, wire and switch failure. An alternative configuration would be to assign the Service Console or VMKernel port to different vSwitches with different IP subnets; take care with this configuration as DNS resolution can cause VMware HA to misbehave. When you have multiple subnets consider adding das.IsolationAddress# x.x.x.x; x.x.x.x being the ip address of the other host or some pingable device and # being a number e.g. 1. The above will not stop the default gateway ping check happening.

Configure DNS and Routing settings for an ESX host

The DNS and routing settings can be modified via the vSphere client.

UI: Configuration tab > DNS and routing > Properties >

The DNs configuration can be defined statically or obtained via DHCP. The routing configuration can be defined via the routing tab.

To check DNS resolution is working on VMware ESX; logon to the Service Console and run nslookup [fqdn]. To verify the DNS configuration run cat /etc/hosts and cat /etc/resolv.conf.

To check the Service Consoles gateway run cat /etc/sysconfig/network

To check the VMKernels gateway run esxcfg-route