Learning NSX-T-Part 10: Logical Routing

In last post of this series we created logical switches and established communication between the App and Web VM which were on same subnet and connected to same logical switch. In this post we will learn about logical routing.

If you are not following along this series, then I recommend reading earlier posts of this series from below links:

1: Introduction to NSX-T

2: NSX-T Architecture

3: NSX Manager Deployment

4: NSX Controllers Automated Deployment

5: NSX Controllers Manual Deployment

6: Prepare Esxi host to form NSX-T Fabric

7: Configuring Uplink Profile

8: Configuring Transport Zone and Transport Nodes

9: Creating Logical Switches and Testing Connectivity

Optimal routing is one of the biggest challenges in any datacenter and NSX revolutionized the way how networking was used in infrastructure. 

NSX-v offered distributed routing to SDDC and because of this routing between different subnets on a Esxi hypervisor can be done in kernel and traffic never has to leave the hypervisor and thus eliminating the traffic hairpinning problems.Read More

Learning NSX-T-Part 9:Creating Logical Switches and Testing Connectivity

In last post of this series we configured transport zones and transport nodes. We discussed about the modes of transport zone and also touch based on N-VDS. In this post we will learn how to create logical switches in NSX-T and we will test connectivity between vm’s attached to same logical switch.

If you are not following along this series, then I recommend reading earlier posts of this series from below links:

1: Introduction to NSX-T

2: NSX-T Architecture

3: NSX Manager Deployment

4: NSX Controllers Automated Deployment

5: NSX Controllers Manual Deployment

6: Prepare Esxi host to form NSX-T Fabric

7: Configuring Uplink Profile

8: Configuring Transport Zone and Transport Nodes

Logical switch provides layer 2 connectivity for the virtual machines that are attached to the it. In last post we discussed that transport zones are of two types (Overlay and VLAN) and the type of logical switch is based on to which type of transport zone it connects to. Read More

Learning NSX-T-Part 8:Configuring Transport Zone and Transport Nodes

In last post of this series we discussed about Uplink profiles. In this post we will learning about transport zones and its types.

If you are not following along this series, then I recommend reading earlier posts of this series from below links:

1: Introduction to NSX-T

2: NSX-T Architecture

3: NSX Manager Deployment

4: NSX Controllers Automated Deployment

5: NSX Controllers Manual Deployment

6: Prepare Esxi host to form NSX-T Fabric

7: Configuring Uplink Profile

What is transport zone in NSX-T?

As per vmware documentation

A transport zone is a container that defines the potential reach of transport nodes. Transport nodes are hypervisor hosts and NSX Edges that will participate in an NSX-T overlay.

What is meant by above is that if two or more Esxi hosts that are configured as transport nodes participate in the same transport zone, then VMs on these different hosts using the overlay network can communicate with each other.Read More

Learning NSX-T-Part 7:Configuring Uplink Profile

In last post of this series we prepared the Esxi host for NSX-T and we ensured that host connection to NSX manager was up and all necessary vib’s have been pushed on hosts. In this post we will learn about uplink profile.

If you are not following along this series, then I recommend reading earlier posts of this series from below links:

1: Introduction to NSX-T

2: NSX-T Architecture

3: NSX Manager Deployment

4: NSX Controllers Automated Deployment

5: NSX Controllers Manual Deployment

6: Prepare Esxi host to form NSX-T Fabric

What is Uplink profile in NSX-T?

From VMware documentation:

An uplink profile defines policies for the links from hypervisor hosts to NSX-T logical switches or from NSX Edge nodes to top-of-rack switches.

Confused? All right lets simplify it a bit.

Uplink profile is pretty much similar to specifying the teaming policy when you enable VXLAN on Esxi host in NSX-v.… Read More

Learning NSX-T-Part 6: Host Preparation and forming NSX-T Fabric

In last 2 post of this series, we discussed the automated and manual deployment of NSX controllers and how to form controller cluster. In this post we will learn how to do host preparation for NSX-T.

If you are not following along this series, then I recommend reading earlier posts of this series from below links:

1: Introduction to NSX-T

2: NSX-T Architecture

3: NSX Manager Deployment

4: NSX Controllers Automated Deployment

5: NSX Controllers Manual Deployment

When we do host preparation, NSX-T pushes few vibs on the Esxi host (just like NSX-v) and once the hosts are prepared they are known as fabric nodes. All Esxi host that are fabric nodes have NSX-T modules installed and are registered with the NSX-T management plane.

Before jumping into host preparation task, ensure that  install-upgrade service status on NSX-T manager is reporting as running. If this service is down, NSX manager won’t be able to push the vibs onto the ESXi hosts when we add them in the fabric.Read More