Virtual Connect with ESX 3.5

[BobbyMc]

We have 6 Virtual connect ethernet modules and 2 fiber modules. Each ethernet module has a pair of fiber cables set up as a port channel connected to a Cisco switch. These port channels can pass all vlan traffic. Periodically some servers will stop responding to ping commands. The virtual connect is setup with Tunnel Vlan tags mode. I'm running 2.01 firmware on the virtual connect modules. Any help would be appreciated.

[Steven Clementi]

How are your vSwitch's configured?


Steven

[BobbyMc]

Each blade has 6 nics. Two built on the system and 4 on a mezzanine card. vswith0 is set up with 1 from the mezzanine and 1 build in the server for vmotion and console. vswitch2 has 3 nics. 1 from server and 2 from mezzanine card for all virtual machines. vswitch2 is the switch with all the vlans which is having problems. vswitch 3 is setup up with 1 nic for ISCSI (iso and templates).

[Steven Clementi]

vs0 and vs2.... are set up for failover? or load balancing? or ...


Steven

[BobbyMc]

Each vswitch is set up exactly like the jpg that is attached in load balance mode.

[HEM_2 · Accepted solution]

do you have any VLANs that are bridged together or do you have any RSPAN VLans that are on the dot1q trunks that connect to VC?

If so and you can remove those VLANs from the dot1q trunks, try this and see if the connectivity problem goes away.

I have seen issues with Virtual Connect in VLAN tunneling mode when there is an RSPAN VLAN or 2 VLANs bridged together that are connecting in to the VC uplinks.

The problem I described above doesn't occur with Shared Uplink Sets.

[BobbyMc]

I talked to the network engineers. We do have a Cisco firewall module which does a VLAN bridge between the different vlans. I believe this may be the issue. I appreciate the responses.