Switching profiles include Layer 2 networking configuration details for logical switches and logical ports. NSX Manager supports several types of switching profiles, and maintains one or more system-defined default switching profiles for each profile type.

The following types of switching profiles are available.

  • QoS (Quality of Service)
  • IP Discovery
  • SpoofGuard
  • Switch Security
  • MAC Management
Note: You cannot edit or delete the default switching profiles in the NSX Manager. You can create custom switching profiles instead.

Before using a default profile, make sure that the settings are what you need them to be. When you create a custom profile, some settings have default values. Do not assume that in the default profile, these settings will have the default values.

Each default or custom switching profile has a unique reserved identifier. You use this identifier to associate the switching profile to a logical switch or a logical port. For example, the default QoS switching profile ID is f313290b-eba8-4262-bd93-fab5026e9495.

A logical switch or logical port can be associated with one switching profile of each type. You cannot have for example, two QoS different switching profiles associated to a logical switch or logical port.

If you do not associate a switching profile type while creating or updating a logical switch, then the NSX Manager associates a corresponding default system-defined switching profile. The children logical ports inherit the default system-defined switching profile from the parent logical switch.

When you create or update a logical switch or logical port you can choose to associate either a default or a custom switching profile. When the switching profile is associated or disassociated from a logical switch the switching profile for the children logical ports is applied based on the following criteria.

  • If the parent logical switch has a profile associated with it, the child logical port inherits the switching profile from the parent.
  • If the parent logical switch does not have a switching profile associated with it, a default switching profile is assigned to the logical switch and the logical port inherits that default switching profile.
  • If you explicitly associate a custom profile with a logical port, then this custom profile overrides the existing switching profile.
Note: If you have associated a custom switching profile with a logical switch, but want to retain the default switching profile for one of the child logical port, then you must make a copy of the default switching profile and associate it with the specific logical port.

You cannot delete a custom switching profile if it is associated to a logical switch or a logical port. You can find out whether any logical switches and logical ports are associated with the custom switching profile by going to the Assigned To section of the Summary view and clicking on the listed logical switches and logical ports.