Blade x ESX x MCS

[thenrique09]

Someone has already implemented the MCS in the Microsoft virtual environment in Blade?

In my current structure have 1 chassis with 5 blades, each ESX host with 4 network cards: - Service Console (1 nic) - VMKernel (1 nic ) - Access to network (2 nics)

I need to implement a cluster MCS but no network card to a private network for the cluster.

What I'm thinking of doing is to use 1 network card for Service

Console and VMKernel separating them by VLAN, someone already

implemented?

[gary1012]

Since you're thinking about using VLAN tags, couldn't you combine the SC and vmkernel on one vSwitch with both NICs assigned and then add VLAN tags/port groups for each function including the MSCS heartbeat?

[thenrique09]

I am thinking in this option but this is not supported by Vmware.

Vmware recommends one nic for MCS heartbeat, but this scenario is unavailable for Blade Center

[gary1012]

Agreed; physical separation of the data and heartbeat networks would be best. It's a matter if you want/need redundacy for SC, vmkernel, and heartbeats. If that isn't important to you, then can configure the networks as you outlined. As for VMware support; I think that's a recommendation and not a support issue. Check out page 14 in the MSCS Setup Guide. If anything, you might catch grief from MS about the config but I do believe they support it as they support heartbeats over public networks today. Could be wrong on that presumption so I would check with your MS rep...