On an IPv4 deployment of vSphere 6.5 that consists of an installed or upgraded vCenter Server and upgraded ESXi, configure ESXi and vCenter Server for pure IPv6 management connection by enabling IPv6 on the deployed nodes and reconnecting them.

Prerequisites

  • Verify that the network infrastructure provides IPv6 connectivity for the ESXi hosts, vCenter Server and external database if used.
  • Verify that the IPv6 addresses for vCenter Server, the ESXi hosts and an external database, if used, are mapped to fully qualified domain names (FQDNs) on the DNS server.
  • Verify that you have version 6.x of vCenter Server installed or upgraded. See the vCenter Server Installation and Setup and vCenter Server Upgrade documentation.
  • Verify that all ESXi hosts are upgraded to version 6.x. See the VMware ESXi Upgrade documentation.

Procedure

  1. In the vSphere Client, disconnect the hosts from vCenter Server.
  2. Configure each ESXi host as a pure IPv6 node.
    1. Open an SSH connection and log in to the ESXi host.
    2. Run the following command: 
      esxcli network ip interface ipv6 set -i vmk0 -e true
    3. Assign an IPv6 address to the management network.
      Address Assignment Option Description
      Static address assignment
      1. Open an SSH connection and log in to the ESXi host.
      2. Set a static IPv6 address for the management network vmk0 by running the following command: 
        esxcli network ip interface ipv6 address add -I IPv6_address -i vmk0
      3. Set the default gateway for the management network vmk0 by running the following command: 
        esxcli network ip interface ipv6 set -i vmk0 -g default_gateway_IPv6_address
      4. Add a DNS server by running the following command: 
        esxcli network ip dns server add -s DNS_server_IPv6_address
      Automatic address assignment using DHCPv6
      1. Open an SSH connection and log in to the ESXi host.
      2. Enable DHCPv6 for the management network vmk0 by running the following command: 
        esxcli network ip interface ipv6 -i vmk0 -enable-dhcpv6 = true
      3. Enable IPv6 Router Advertised for the management network vmk0 by running the following command: 
        esxcli network ip interface ipv6 set -i vmk0 -enable-router-adv =true
      4. Add a DNS server or use the DNS setting published by DHCPv6 by running one the following commands: 
        esxcli network ip dns server add -s DNS_server_IPv6_address
        esxcli network ip interface ipv6 set -i vmk0 --peer-dns=true
  3. Deactivate the IPv4 configuration for the management network.
    1. Open an SSH connection and log in to the ESXi host.
    2. Run the following command: 
      esxcli network ip interface ipv4 set -i vmk0 --type=none
  4. If vCenter Server uses an external database, configure the database as an IPv6 node.
  5. Configure vCenter Server as a pure IPv6 node and restart it.
  6. Deactivate the IPv4 on the database server.
  7. In the vSphere Client, add the hosts to the inventory.
  8. Deactivate the IPv4 in the network infrastructure.