The NSX-T Data Center Manager UI allows you to migrate all the kernel interfaces including the management interface from a VSS or VDS to N-VDS switch.

In this example, consider a vSphere ESXi host with two physical adapters, vmnic0 and vmnic1. The default VSS or VDS switch on the host is configured with a single uplink mapped to vmnic0. The VMkernel interface, vmk0 is also configured on VSS or VDS to run the management traffic on the node. The aim is to migrate vmnic0 and vmk0 to the N-VDS switch.

As part of host preparation, VLAN and overlay transport zones are created to run management and VM traffic respectively. An N-VDS switch is also created and configured with an uplink mapped to vmnic1. After migration, NSX-T Data Center migrates both vmnic0 and vmk0 from the VSS or VDS switch to the N-VDS switch on the node.

Prerequisites

  • Verify that the physical network infrastructure provides the same LAN connectivity to vmnic1 and vmnic0.

  • Verify that the unused physical NIC, vmnic1, has Layer 2 connectivity with vmnic0.

  • Ensure that all VMkernel interfaces involved in this migration belong to the same network. If you migrate VMkernel interfaces to an uplink connected to a different network, the host might become unreachable or non-functional.

Procedure

  1. On the NSX Manager UI, go to Fabric -> Profile -> Uplink Profiles.
  2. Create an uplink profile using vmnic0 as the active uplink and vmnic1 as the passive uplink.
  3. Go to Fabric -> Transport Zones -> Add.
  4. Create an overlay and VLAN transport zones to handle VM traffic and management traffic respectively.
    Note:

    The N-VDS name used in VLAN transport zone and OVERLAY transport zone must be the same.

  5. Go to Fabric -> Node -> Transport Node.
  6. Add both transport zones to the transport node.
  7. In the N-VDS tab, add an N-VDS by defining uplinks, physical adapters to be used by N-VDS.

    The transport node is connected to the transport zones through a single uplink.

  8. To ensure vmk0 and vmnic0 get connectivity to the VLAN transport zone after migration, create a logical switch for the appropriate VLAN transport zone.
  9. Select the Transport node, click Actions -> Migrate ESX VMkernel and Physical Adapters.
  10. Select Migrate to Logical Switches.
  11. Select the N-VDS switch.
  12. Add the VMkernel adapters and associated logical switches.
  13. Add the physical adapter corresponding to the VMkernel interface. Ensure that at least one physical adapter remains on the VSS or VDS switch.
  14. Click Save.
  15. Click Continue to begin migration.
  16. Test connectivity to vmnic0 and vmk0 from the NSX Manager.
  17. Alternatively, in the vCenter Server, verify the VMkernel adapter is associated with the NSX-T Data Center switch.

Results

VMkernel interfaces and their corresponding physical adapters are migrated to N-VDS.

What to do next

You can revert VMkernel migration to a VSS or VDS switch.