Before you install or upgrade NSX, consider your network configuration and resources. You can install one NSX Manager per vCenter Server, one instance of Guest Introspection and Data Security per ESXi™ host, and multiple NSX Edge instances per datacenter.

Hardware

Table 1. Hardware Requirements

Appliance

Memory

vCPU

Disk Space

NSX Manager

16 GB (24 GB with certain NSX deployment sizes*)

4 (8 with certain NSX deployment sizes*)

60 GB

NSX Controller

4 GB

4

20 GB

NSX Edge

  • Compact: 512 MB

  • Large: 1 GB

  • Quad Large: 1 GB

  • X-Large: 8 GB

  • Compact: 1

  • Large: 2

  • Quad Large: 4

  • X-Large: 6

  • Compact: 1 disk 500MB

  • Large: 1 disk 500MB + 1 disk 512MB

  • Quad-Large: 1 disk 500MB + 1 disk 512MB

  • X-Large: 1 disk 500MB + 1 disk 2GB

Guest Introspection

1 GB

2

4 GB

NSX Data Security

512 MB

1

6 GB per ESXi host

As a general guideline, you should increase NSX Manager resources to 8 vCPU and 24 GB of RAM if your NSX managed environment contains more than 256 hypervisors or more than 2000 VMs.

For specific sizing details contact VMware support.

For information about increasing the memory and vCPU allocation for your virtual appliances, see Allocate Memory Resources, and Change the Number of Virtual CPUs in vSphere Virtual Machine Administration.

Software

For the latest interoperability information, see the Product Interoperability Matrixes at http://partnerweb.vmware.com/comp_guide/sim/interop_matrix.php.

For recommended versions of NSX, vCenter Server, and ESXi, see the release notes at https://docs.vmware.com/en/VMware-NSX-for-vSphere/index.html.

Note that for an NSX Manager to participate in a cross-vCenter NSX deployment the following conditions are required:

Component

Version

NSX Manager

6.2 or later

NSX Controller

6.2 or later

vCenter Server

6.0 or later

ESXi

  • ESXi 6.0 or later

  • Host clusters prepared with NSX 6.2 or later VIBs

To manage all NSX Managers in a cross-vCenter NSX deployment from a single vSphere Web Client, you must connect your vCenter Servers in Enhanced Linked Mode. See Using Enhanced Linked Mode in vCenter Server and Host Management .

To check the compatibility of partner solutions with NSX, see the VMware Compatibility Guide for Networking and Security at http://www.vmware.com/resources/compatibility/search.php?deviceCategory=security.

Client and User Access

  • If you added ESXi hosts by name to the vSphere inventory, ensure that forward and reverse name resolution is working. Otherwise, NSX Manager cannot resolve the IP addresses.

  • Permissions to add and power on virtual machines

  • Access to the datastore where you store virtual machine files, and the account permissions to copy files to that datastore

  • Cookies enabled on your Web browser, to access the NSX Manager user interface

  • From NSX Manager, ensure port 443 is accessible from the ESXi host, the vCenter Server, and the NSX appliances to be deployed. This port is required to download the OVF file on the ESXi host for deployment.

  • A Web browser that is supported for the version of vSphere Web Client you are using. See Using the vSphere Web Client in the vCenter Server and Host Management documentation for details.