c7000 with VMware

[BennyO]

Hello -
My question is regarding vmware and vSwitch configuration on the ESX host side. I have 6 BL490c blades each blade has 4 gigabit ethernet nics, with 1 nic going to each of the switches in the enclosure. I have switches in modules 1, 2, 5, 6. I created a trunk group between the external ports (5 gig ethernet per switch) and procurve switches. Modules 1 & 2 are on 2 different trunks going to the same pswitch, modules 5 & 6 are in different trunks going to a different pswitch. When configuring the vswitch within vmware, what is the best option to use? Either 'route based on the originating virtual port id' or 'route based on ip hash'? 3 out of the 4 pnics on the ESX hosts are uplinks on 1 vswitch. 1 single pnic is on it's own vswitch, which is configured for vMotion. I understand with standalone servers with multiple pnics in the same vswitch that connect to the same trunk group the best option is 'route based on ip hash'. However I made this change in my environment and things got a little whacky, VM's started to stop responding, ESX hosts showed a status of down in the vCenter. I am assuming because the 3 pnics on the vswitch are in different trunk groups on the physical switch side. I switched it back to the default 'route based on virtual port id' and everything works, however I don't feel it is the best for performance. If anybody can shed some light on the best way to accomplish this I would appreciate it.
Thanks,
Ben

[HEM_2]

what kind of switches do you have in the enclosure?

If they are VC, you cannot use 'route based on ip hash' because 'ip hash' requires that the switch ports that the NICs connect to be configured for static port aggregation. VC does not support port aggregation of any kind on the downlink ports (especially across VC modules).

The configuration of the blade switch uplinks aren't relevant to the ESX teaming mode in this situation.

[BennyO]

Hi -
We are using the HP Gbe2c 2/3 switches.

[HEM_2]

gbe2's have the same issue as Virtual Connect as far as creating a channel (port trunk) across switch modules...

[Jose A. Alonso Ortiz]

Hi all

Got the same issue with blade 680.

A solution could be reconfigure:
VC-eth in modules 1 & 2
passthrouh enet in modules 2&3
VC-FC in modules 4&5

in BL680 is necessary a 4port-ethet mezzanine in slot 1 and move the fc-mezzanine to slot 2

Port trunk is made in a external switch

What do you thik about this?

Thanks