Creating a Distributed Switch on vCenter
Objective: The objective of this SOP is to outline the steps to create a Distributed Switch on vCenter, which allows for centralized management of networking configuration in a VMware vSphere environment.
Scope: This SOP is applicable to system administrators or network administrators responsible for managing VMware vSphere environments.
Prerequisites:
1. Access to VMware vCenter Server.
2. Appropriate privileges to create a Distributed Switch.
Procedure:
1. Launch the VMware vSphere Client: Open the VMware vSphere Client application on your
workstation.
2. Connect to the vCenter Server: Enter the credentials to connect to the vCenter Server where you want to create the Distributed Switch.
3. Navigate to Networking: In the vSphere Client, click on "Networking" in the left-hand pane to access the networking configuration.
4. Create a Distributed Switch: Right-click on the data center or folder where you want to create the Distributed Switch and select "Distributed Switch" from the context menu. Then, click on "New Distributed Switch."
5. Specify a Name and Version: Provide a name for the Distributed Switch and select the desired version (e.g., VMware vSphere 6.7) from the drop-down menu.
6. Configure the Number of Uplinks: Specify the number of uplinks (physical network adapters) you want to assign to the Distributed Switch. This determines the total bandwidth available for the virtual machines connected to the switch.
7. Configure Network Settings: Select the appropriate network settings for the Distributed Switch, such as VLAN, MTU, and load balancing algorithms. You can also enable Network I/O Control (NIOC) for bandwidth allocation and traffic prioritization.
8. Add Hosts to the Distributed Switch: Choose the hosts that will be connected to the Distributed Switch. Select the hosts from the inventory and click "Add."
9. Configure Uplink Ports: Assign the physical uplink ports to the Distributed Switch. You can select the available uplink ports from the list and click "Next" to proceed.
10. Configure Port Group Properties: Specify the port group settings, such as VLAN, teaming and failover policies, security settings, and traffic shaping parameters. You can create multiple portgroups with different configurations if needed.
11. Review and Finish: Review the summary of the Distributed Switch configuration and click
"Finish" to create the Distributed Switch.
12. Verify the Distributed Switch: Once the creation process is complete, verify that the Distributed Switch appears in the networking inventory. Ensure that the host connectivity and port groups are correctly configured.
Conclusion: You have successfully created a Distributed Switch on vCenter, providing a centralized management solution for networking in your VMware vSphere environment. Ensure that you document the configuration details for future reference and ongoing management.