Simplify VMware vSphere* 4 Networking with Intel Ethernet 10 Gigabit Server Adapters

The Foundation of Virtualization
WHITEPAPER
5
This topology raises the following issues:
•Complexity and ineciency. Many physical ports and cables make
the environment very complex, and the large number of server
adapters consumes a great deal of power.
•Dicult network management. The presence of eight to 12 ports
per server makes the environment dicult to manage and maintain,
and multiple connections increase the likelihood of misconfiguration.
•Increased risk of failure. The presence of multiple physical devices
and cable connections increases the points of potential failure and
overall risk.
•Bandwidth limitations. Static bandwidth allocation
and physical reconnections are required to add more
bandwidth to the GbE network.
The practice of using large numbers of GbE connections has persisted
even though 10GbE networking provides the ability to consolidate multi-
ple functions onto a single network connection, greatly simplifying the
network infrastructure required to support the host.
Part of this continuing adherence to a legacy approach is due to the
outdated understandings of security and networking. For example,
some administrators believe that dedicated VMotion connections must
be physically separated because they mistrust VLAN security and ques-
tion bandwidth allocation requirements. Others assume that discrete
network connections are required to avoid interference between
network functions.
Although these types of concerns may have been well founded in
the past, modern switching equipment and server adapters have
addressed them. Now is the time to take advantage of Intel Ethernet
10GbE Server Adapters.
Virtual Switch
Virtual NICs
Physical NICs
Port
Groups
APP
OS
APP
OS
APP
OS
VMware
VMotion*
Service
Console
APP
OS
1Gb 1Gb 1Gb1Gb1Gb 1Gb1Gb1Gb
Figure 1: Virtual switch with multiple physical GbE server adapters.
VMware
VMotion*
VMware vNetwork
Distributed Switch
vSSO
Port #1
10Gb
Port #2
10Gb
1Gb1Gb
APP
OS
APP
OS
APP
OS
Service
Console
APP
OS
Figure 2: VMware vNetwork Distributed Switch with 10GbE server adapters for network
trac and GbE server adapters for service console trac.
Now is the time to take advantage of
Intel
®
Ethernet 10GbE Server Adapters.