Can I have my management network on two seperate networks?

[bateslabel]

Is it possible to have the management network be on two different networks? 

[pcerda]

I think you can't.

You can try creating 2 separated Management Networks, each one on a different network segment.

[bateslabel]

Thats what I mean. Can I have a management network that is connected to the nic on the 172.16.45 network for front end management. And have a management network configured on the 172.16.50 network which is the private network for storage and vmotion. 

[pcerda]

Of course you can.  In fact, i ussually set the VMkernel ports for vMotion and iSCSI on a different isolated network (like 10.0.0.x).

You have to use different uplinks, or to use VLANs to separate the traffic.

[dkfbp]

It is a normal configuration to have two management networks. Just remember you only have one default gateway. So the second one will not be routeable

[targus]

Frank Brix Pedersen wrote:

It is a normal configuration to have two management networks. Just remember you only have one default gateway. So the second one will not be routeable

Could you explain a bit about what that means to this newbie?  What are the implications?

[pcerda]

Hi,

For example, if you VMkernel port for iSCSI is on the network 172.1.1.x and the Storage iSCSI is on a different network, the host will try to route the traffic through the default gateway.  So, you have to make sure the default gateway is able to route all the VMkernel traffic you need.

[targus]

Patricio Cerda wrote:

Hi,

For example, if you VMkernel port for iSCSI is on the network 172.1.1.x and the Storage iSCSI is on a different network, the host will try to route the traffic through the default gateway.  So, you have to make sure the default gateway is able to route all the VMkernel traffic you need.

I'm still not clear on this.

Example:

Default gateway:  192.168.2.1

nic1:  VMkernal on 192.168.2.51

nic2: connected to 192.168.1.* network.

NFS storage on 192.168.1.44

Will the host try to route though the default gateway or will it just use the second connected nic?

[pcerda]

Hi

If you VMkernel Port for iSCSI is on 192.168.1.x network, and the NFS storage is conected on the same network, then the traffic doesn't pass through the default gateway, because the VMkernel Port and the Storage are on the same subnet.

If the NFS storage would be on a different network (like 192.168.2.x), then the traffic pass through the default gateway.

[Hoschi201110141]

Yes you can!

I have a similar configuration. VCenter, Service Console and VMotion use each a own network segment / VLAN.

Be aware to split the Network used for VMotion in more then one Segment pre ESX 4.0.

Happy x-mas

hoschi