Specifications

CHAPTER 7 Networking
259
Do you wish to configure another bridged network? (yes/no)
[no]
Answer yes.
3. If you have additional physical Ethernet adapters not yet connected to a bridged
network, the prompt is repeated, showing information about all currently
configured bridged networks.
4. When you have set up all the bridged networks you want, type no.
Configuring Bridged Networking When Using Teamed Network
Interface Cards on Your Host
Network adapter teaming (where two or more network interface cards work together
as one and appear as a single, separate device) provides a GSX Server host and the
virtual machines running on it with a level of network hardware fault tolerance.
Should one physical network adapter fail, network traffic for the host and virtual
machines can continue using the remaining network adapters in the team.
Another method for providing fault tolerance is by making sure that automatic
bridging is enabled. This feature is available on Windows hosts only and is enabled by
default. For more information, see Configuring Bridged Networking Options on a
Windows Host on page 242. This method is more limited than using NIC teaming, as it
does not allow for load balancing, switch fault tolerance, fault tolerance to any
necessary services running on the host or the ability to specify an adapter as the
primary or secondary adapter.
Certain NIC teaming modes provide load balancing and are discussed below.
If your GSX Server host is configured to use teamed network interface cards, and you
use bridged networking with your virtual machines, you need to adjust your network
settings. You do this by binding the VMware Bridge Protocol to the teamed NIC and
unbinding it from each individual, physical NIC on the host. See Setting Up the
Windows Host on page 260.
Before you start using teamed NICs to network your virtual machines, you should have
a good understanding of how network teaming works in your host environment.
Support for Network Adapter Teaming
VMware supports teamed NICs on Windows hosts with enterprise class network
adapters that can be configured for NIC teaming. If there is a specific teamed
networking mode (such as 802.3ad Dynamic or 802.3ad-Draft Static mode) you want
to use, then you should use adapters that support that mode.