Hi, I want to start installing and configuring NSX in my environment today.
There is a question How can I build a Nested laboratory?
For my nested lab, I used the below physical devices:
1- 1 * ProLiant DL Gen9
2- 1 * Cisco Switch
3- 1 * Firewall
Physical Network Design:
Physical = Firewall to Cisco Switch = Trunk
Physical = Cisco Switch to ProLiant DL Gen9 = Trunk
VDS = 2 * UPLINK to Physical NICs (PNIC)
Port Group on the standard switch or VDS ESXi host on ProLiant DL Gen9
- LAB-MGMT-VLAN-PG = We used for MGMT VMS like DC, vCenter, NSX MGR
- LAB-MGMT-Trunk-PG = ESXi MGMT
- LAB-SW-TOR-Trunk = We used to connect Virtual Router Cisco to ESXi
- LAB-VLAN-To-Firewall = We used to connect Virtual Router Cisco to Firewall
Note: You can have more port groups for other purposes like VSAN, vMotion, and…
IP and VLAN Design
Install Management Services on Physical Server
DC
I need to install a DC as a Domain Controller and DNS server. I install khoshraftar.com, and I used the LAB-MGMT-VLAN-PG port group to connect my DC to the network. I define all A records that we need for our services link vCenter, ESXi, NSX manager, and…
vCenter
Furthermore, I need to install a vCenter server. I used the LAB-MGMT-VLAN-PG port group to connect my vCenter to the network. I created a Datacenter and 2 clusters (cluster Compute and MGMT).
I created a VDS switch and These below port groups.
- LAB-MGMT-Trunk-PG = We used for MGMT ESXi
- Edge-Transport-overlay-vtep-Trunk = We used for NSX-Edge VMs
- Edge-uplink2-Trunk = We used it for NSX-Edge VMs
- Edge-uplink3-Trunk = We used it for NSX-Edge VMs
ESXi
Likewise, I need to install ESXi as a nested hypervisor. Each ESXi host has 3 network cards.
- Network Card1 = LAB-MGMT-Trunk-PG
- Network Card2 = LAB-SW-TOR-Trunk
- Network Card3 = LAB-SW-TOR-Trunk
Note1: I configured VLAN Mgmt in ESXi VAMI –> System Customization –> Configure Management Network –> VLAN.
Note2: I Enable Promiscuous Mode on all port groups.
NSX Manager
I install NSX Manager and connect to the LAB-MGMT-VLAN-PG port group.
Finish 🙂