Use the vMotion TCP/IP stack to isolate traffic for vMotion and to assign a dedicated default gateway, routing table, and DNS configuration for this traffic. To enable the vMotion TCP/IP stack, assign a new VMkernel adapter to it.
By using a separate TCP/IP stack, you can handle vMotion and cold migration traffic according to the topology of the network and as required for your organization:
-
Route the traffic for migration of powered on or powered off virtual machines by using a default gateway. The gateway must be different from the gateway assigned to the default stack on the host.
By using a separate default gateway, you can use DHCP for IP address assignment to the VMkernel adapters for migration in a flexible way.
- Assign a separate set of buffers and sockets.
- Avoid routing table conflicts that might otherwise appear when many features are using a common TCP/IP stack.
- Isolate traffic to improve security.
Prerequisites
Verify that the host is running ESXi 6.0 or later
Procedure
- In the vSphere Client, navigate to the host.
- Click the Configure tab.
- Select Networking, and click VMkernel adapters.
- Click Add networking.
- On the Select connection type page, select VMkernel Network Adapter and click Next.
- On the Select target device page, select the switch for the VMkernel adapter, and click Next.
Option |
Description |
Select an existing network |
Use the physical adapter configuration of an existing distributed port group to send data from the VMkernel adapter to the external network. |
Select an existing standard switch |
Use the physical adapter configuration for the VMkernel adapter of an existing standard switch. |
New vSphere standard switch |
Assign a new physical adapter configuration for the VMkernel adapter on a new standard switch. |
- On the Port properties page, select vMotion from the TCP/IP stack drop-down menu.
The vMotion traffic becomes the only service that is enabled. You cannot use this VMkernel adapter for traffic types other than vMotion.
- Set the label, VLAN ID, and IP mode of the VMkernel adapter, and click Next.
- (Optional) On the IPv4 settings page, select an option for obtaining IP addresses.
Option |
Description |
Obtain IPv4 settings automatically |
Use DHCP to obtain IP settings. A DHCP server must be present on the network. |
Use static IPv4 settings |
Enter the IPv4 IP address and subnet mask for the VMkernel adapter. The VMkernel Default Gateway and DNS server addresses for IPv4 are obtained from the selected TCP/IP stack.
Select the
Override default gateway for this adapter check box and enter a gateway address, if you want to specify a different gateway for the VMkernel adapter.
Note: Selected netstack should have the default gateway explicitly on each host.
|
- (Optional) On the IPv6 settings page, select an option for obtaining IPv6 addresses.
Option |
Description |
Obtain IPv6 addresses automatically through DHCP |
Use DHCP to obtain IPv6 addresses. A DHCPv6 server must be present on the network. |
Obtain IPv6 addresses automatically through Router Advertisement |
Use router advertisement to obtain IPv6 addresses. In ESXi 6.5 and later router advertisement is enabled by default and supports the M and O flags in accordance with RFC 4861. |
Static IPv6 addresses |
- Click Add IPv6 address to add a new IPv6 address.
- Enter the IPv6 address and subnet prefix length, and click OK.
- To change the VMkernel default gateway, click Override default gateway for this adapter.
The VMkernel Default Gateway address for IPv6 is obtained from the selected TCP/IP stack. |
- Review your settings selections on the Ready to complete page and click Finish.
Results
After you create a VMkernel adapter on the vMotion TCP/IP stack, you can use only this stack for vMotion on this host. The VMkernel adapters on the default TCP/IP stack are deactivated for the vMotion service. If a live migration uses the default TCP/IP stack while you are configuring VMkernel adapters with the vMotion TCP/IP stack, the migration completes successfully. However, the involved VMkernel adapters on the default TCP/IP stack are deactivated for future vMotion sessions.
What to do next
Assign a default gateway, and configure the DNS settings, congestion control, and maximum number of connections for the vMotion TCP/IP stack.
For more information on how to change the configuration of a TCP/IP stack on a host, see the vSphere Networking documentation.