HP Virtual Connect 1Gb Ethernet Cookbook

Scenario 3 – Multiple Simple Networks Providing Redundancy and Link Aggregation 802.3ad (LACP) with VLAN Tunneling
– VMware ESX 37
Scenario 3 – Multiple Simple Networks
Providing Redundancy and Link
Aggregation 802.3ad (LACP) with VLAN
Tunneling – VMware ESX
Overview
This configuration uses the Virtual Connect vNet Tunnel. The vNet Tunnel will accept and forward
tagged frames between servers and uplinks. With a vNet Tunnel Virtual Connect does not make
forwarding decisions based on the VLAN Tag, instead all server NICs connected to the vNet Tunnel
will receive ALL frames, much like a VLAN Trunked switch port. In this scenario, the upstream
network switch is configured to pass multiple VLANs to two ports on each VC module.
The upstream switch ports will be configured as “trunk” ports for several VLANs, (VLAN 1, 101-
105 and 2101-2150).
Note: VLAN 101 will be configured as untagged as this VLAN will be used for console and
management access.
The dual vNet is a popular configuration when supporting primarily North/South traffic patterns,
as this configuration maximizes the use of all external connections.
Requirements
In order to implement this scenario, an HP BladeSystem c7000 enclosure with one of more server
blades and TWO Virtual Connect Ethernet modules, installed in Bays 1& 2 are required. In
addition, we will require ONE or TWO external Network switches. As Virtual Connect does not
appear to the network as a switch and is transparent to the network, any standard managed
switch will work with Virtual Connect.
Configuring Uplinks to a vNet (LACP)
When all uplinks configured within a vNet connect a VC module to an upstream switch, ALL links
could be active, providing additional bandwidth, using Link Aggregation Protocol (LACP 802.3ad),
this requires the upstream switch to be configured, on these ports, for link aggregation control
protocol (LACP).
When some of the uplinks configured within a vNet connect a VC module to different upstream
switches, some links will be active and the remaining will be Standby, providing additional
bandwidth and/or availability, using Link Aggregation Protocol (LACP 802.3.ad).