Procurve 1800 VLANs with ESX

[Xavi.e.r]

This is a small testing lab. I have 2 1800-24G and 2 ESX servers.

I created these VLANs identically on both 1800 each port in the range are member of the respective VLAN

VLAN 1. port 1-16. Internal network
VLAN 2. port 17-20 DMZ
VLAN 3. port 21-22 vMotion
port 23-24 dynamic LACP trunk from the 2 1800 switches

The VLAN ports are configured with the packet type of "ALL" and the respective PIVD according to their VLAN number.

The 2 ESX servers have 4 NIC each. I created the vSwitch and each port group for each network. I can ping from the internal to my DMZ servers, however when I assign the VLAN number to each port group I lose connection, I am not sure why or what I am doing wrong.

is this configuration supported on these switches?

[Evert Goor]

As far i can see you have the vlans untagged on the ports.
If you define vlan numbers in esx it thinks it get those vlans tagged on the switchport.

Best is to take 4 ports on that switch. Make all vlans tagged on that switch (be carefull with the service console best to keep that one untagged). And define the vlans in esx.

Good Luck

[Xavi.e.r]

Thanks for your response. Yes, I've tried tagging as well but I lose connection too. I don't know why.

[Evert Goor]

just place the service console on a vlan without tagging. And play around with the other vlans.
Just check if the tagging is ther on the right port and the vserver has the right vlan.

[Xavi.e.r]

Yes, I've tried playing with it a lot until I finally gave up and posted here because I am not even sure if these switches work for this case although they should.

I've tried several options. I've made the ports member of all VLANs, members of the respective VLAN only, tagged,untagged with the PVID. The port groups on ESX servers with and without the VLAN # etc but no luck.

[Xavi.e.r]

I just did a simple test

I configured the 2 ESX server with 2 ports connected to ports on the same VLAN(2) on the same switch.

I tagged the ports and setup ESX servers VM port group for VLAN 2 and I cannot make them work.
I untagged the ports on the switch and kept the PVID with the respective VLAN and removed on ESX servers the VLAN number and everything works.

I just don't get it. am I not supposed to tag the VLANs?

[Evert Goor]

That last part is working like planned.
Take a look at the next pdf. it explains how esx works with vlans.
http://www.vmware.com/pdf/esx3_vlan_wp.pdf

[Pieter 't Hart]

>>>
when I assign the VLAN number to each port group I lose connection
<<<
normally when using vlans you also use subnets, where each vlan should have it's own subnet.
To communicate between subnets/vlan's you need to configure a router.

if you have vlan's but no router, or vlan's with same subnet on all vlan's you won't be able to communicate in a normal way.

Pieter

[athlon_crazy]

I had the same problem yesterday but I think I solved it already :

My setup
2x ESX hosts
2x Pro-Curve 1800-24G
Port 7 & 8 vlan "97"

- Created vlan "97" and add port 7 & 8
- Enable LACP for port 7 & 8
- Change PVID for this ports to "97" instead "1" (default)
- Create VM network VLAN ID = 97 on vSwitch6
- Put 2x VM on this vmnetwork (VM A & B)

Result:
vm A & B same ESX host = pingable
vm A & B different ESX = not pingable

Change PVID on both 1800-24G back to default / native vlan "1" from "97".

Result:
vm A & B same ESX host = pingable
vm A & B different ESX = pingable

I dont know how to explain this, but atleast it's working now!

[athlon_crazy]

One more thing. I think your setup base on
VTG = Same vSwitch, multiple port group & VLAN

while mine base on
ETS = Different vSwitch, different port group & VLAN

I never test whether my setup can do multiple VLAN on same vSwitch or not. I might try this today..