topic HPE Synergy Server Profiles and VMware vSphere Distributed Switching in HPE Synergy

HPE Synergy Server Profiles and VMware vSphere Distributed Switching

tirtul — Thu, 23 Nov 2023 02:44:53 GMT

Greetings,

I was reading through the VMware on Synergy Best Practice Guide at: https://www.hpe.com/psnow/doc/a00042559en_us

The guide is date from 2017, which is a bit old.

I manage an environment with 2 frames, multiple Synergy 480Gen10, and Virtual Connect SE 100Gb F32 Modules and I wanted to know the following:

The Server contains Synergy 4820C 10/20/25Gb CNA. The server profile of this host has the following connections:
1 Mgmt_A Mgmt-ESXi_Set (network set) Mezzanine 3:1-a
2 Mgmt_B Mgmt-ESXi_Set (network set) Mezzanine 3:2-a
3 SAN_A SAN-A Fabric attach Mezzanine 3:1-b
4 SAN_B SAN-B Fabric attach Mezzanine 3:2-b
5 Compute_A Compute_Set (network set) Mezzanine 3:1-c
6 Compute_B Compute_Set (network set) Mezzanine 3:2-c
7 vMotion_A vMotion_Set (network set) Mezzanine 3:1-d
8 vMotion_B vMotion_Set (network set) Mezzanine 3:2-d

We have a virtual Distributed Switch, and the above connections (1,2,5,6,7,8) correspond to the six physical uplinks defined in the one virtual Distributed switch. The respective portgroups are configured to use specific uplinks.

Is this acceptable best practice?
Should there be separate distributed switches for Mgmt, Compute, and vMotion?
Should we be using LACP-S (S-channels) on the NIC pairs? We did not set it up that way.

Re: HPE Synergy Server Profiles and VMware vSphere Distributed Switching

Keerthana_RP — Tue, 28 Nov 2023 07:13:59 GMT

Greetings,

I understand the current set-up with 2 frames, multiple Synergy 480Gen10, and Virtual Connect SE 100Gb F32 Modules.

Please be informed that LACP-S (S-channels) on the NIC pairs is enabled by default.

I aslo understand that six physical uplinks are defined in one virtual Distributed switch. From HPE Hardware end, we cannot suggest the required no. of virtual distributed switches. Kindly verify the same once with the VMware Team.

Re: HPE Synergy Server Profiles and VMware vSphere Distributed Switching

tirtul — Wed, 29 Nov 2023 05:09:15 GMT

@Keerthana_RP Thanks. VMware was actually looking for a validated design that says multiple partitions from the same physical port of a CNA is supported in a VDS.

They refered to page 51 of the doc at: https://support.hpe.com/hpesc/public/docDisplay?docId=emr_na-c04408042&sfdcIFrameOrigin=null

They also pointed to Dell's stance on this: https://www.dell.com/support/kbdoc/en-in/000179202/what-is-a-common-network-partition-and-teaming-mode-mistake-that-may-result-in-unexpected-network-issues