What are the differences between the network types?

[shiba9967]

When adding a network, the following three categories are available as options:

• Custom Network
• Host Network
• OVS Port Group

OVS Port Group seems to be like the VLAN used by VMs on HVM.
Custom Network appears to add a network to the vSphere that has been added under HVM management.

Please explain the differences and roles of each.

[Sanika · Accepted solution]

Hello @shiba9967 

A Custom Network is essentially a user-defined virtual network created inside vSphere that HVM can manage.
It allows administrators to create isolated or specialized networks for workloads. This option is used when you want to directly use a previously defined network in vSphere and make it available for VMs launched or managed via the HVM interface.

A Host Network represents the physical NICs of the ESXi host itself.
This is the network that the host uses for its own management, vMotion, or other host-level traffic. Useful for scenarios where you want VMs to connect directly to the same network as the ESXi host, possibly for management or for simple setups where advanced vSphere networking isn’t required.

An OVS Port Group is a logical grouping of ports on an Open vSwitch (OVS), which is a software-based virtual switch commonly used in open-source virtualization platforms. You create VLANs (Port Groups) in OVS, and VMs are attached to these for network isolation, segmentation, and advanced networking features. Similar to vSphere’s port groups, but managed by OVS. This is often used in environments that integrate open-source networking with HVM, allowing for granular control, SDN features, and automation.

Hope this information helps.

Regards,
Sanika.

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