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Configuring networking from the ESX service console command line

Details

This article provides steps to configure networking for an ESX host when you only have access to the service console.

Solution

 
To configure networking from the ESX service console command line:
  1. Ensure the network adapter you want to use is currently connected with the command:

    [root@server root]# esxcfg-nics –l

    The output appears similar to:

    Name PCI Driver Link Speed Duplex Description
    vmnic0 06:00.00 tg3 Up 1000Mbps Full Broadcom Corporation NetXtreme BCM5721 Gigabit Ethernet
    vmnic1 07:00.00 tg3 Up 1000Mbps Full Broadcom Corporation NetXtreme BCM5721 Gigabit Ethernet

    In the Link column, Up indicates that the network adapter is available and functioning.
  1. List the current virtual switches with the command:

    [root@server root]# esxcfg-vswitch –l

    The output appears similar to:

    Switch Name Num Ports Used Ports Configured Ports Uplinks
    vSwitch0 32 3 32 vmnic0

    PortGroup Name Internal ID VLAN ID Used Ports Uplinks
    VM Network portgroup2 0 0 vmnic0

    In the example output, there exists a virtual machine network named VM Network with no Service Console portgroup. For illustration, the proceeding steps show you how to create a new virtual switch and place the service console port group on it.

  2. Create a new virtual switch with the command:

    [root@server root]    # esxcfg-vswitch –a vSwitch1

  3. Create the Service Console portgroup on this new virtual switch:

    [root@server root]# esxcfg-vswitch –A “Service Console” vSwitch1

    Because there is a space in the name (Service Console), you must enclose it in quotation marks.

    Note: To create Service Consoles one at time, you may need to delete all previous settings. For more information, see Recreate Service Console Networking from the Command Line (1000266).

  4. Up-link vmnic1 to the new virtual switch with the command:

    [root@server root]# esxcfg-vswitch –L vmnic1 vSwitch1

  5. If you need to assign a VLAN, use the command:

    [root@server root]# esxcfg-vswitch -v <VLAN> -p “Service Console” vSwitch0

    where <VLANID> is the VLAN number. A zero here specifies no VLAN.

  6. Verify the new virtual switch configuration with the command:

    [root@server root]# esxcfg-vswitch –l

    The output appears similar to:

    Switch Name Num Ports Used Ports Configured Ports Uplinks
    vSwitch0 32 3 32 vmnic0

    PortGroup Name Internal ID VLAN ID Used Ports Uplinks
    Service Console portgroup5 0 1 vmnic0

    Switch Name Num Ports Used Ports Configured Ports Uplinks
    vSwitch1 64 1 64 vmnic1

    PortGroup Name Internal ID VLAN ID Used Ports Uplinks
    Service Console portgroup14 0 1 vmnic1

  7. Create the vswif (Service Console) interface. For example, run the command:

    [root@server root]# esxcfg-vswif –a vswif0 –i 192.168.1.10 –n 255.255.255.0 –p “Service Console”
    [‘Vnic’ warning] Generated New Mac address, 00:50:xx:xx:xx:xx for vswif0

    Nothing to flush.

  8. Verify the configuration with the command:

    [root@esx]# esxcfg-vswif –l
    Name Port Group IP Address Netmask Broadcast Enabled DHCP
    v     swif0 Service Console 192.168.1.10 255.255.255.0 192.168.1.255 true false

  9. Verify the networking configuration on the ESX host. See Verifying ESX Server host networking configuration on the service console (1003796) .

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Actions
  • KB Article: 1000258
  • Updated: Dec 1, 2009
  • Tags
    How to
  • Products:
    VMware ESX
  • Product Versions:
    VMware ESX 3.0.x
    VMware ESX 3.5.x
    VMware ESX 4.0.x