6.5

Table Of Contents
2 Enable IPv6.
vicfg-vmknic <conn_options> --enable-ipv6 true VMSF-VMK-363
3 Supply an IPv6 address.
vicfg-vmknic <conn_options> --ip <ip_address> VMSF-VMK-363
For IPv6, the IP address can have one of the following formats.
n
<X:X:X::/X> - Static IPv6 address.
n
DHCPV6 – Use DHCP IPv6 address. The VMkernel supports DHCP only for ESXi 4.0 and later.
n
AUTOCONF – Use the IPv6 address advertised by the router. If you create a VMkernel network
interface with AUTOCONF, an address is assigned immediately. If you add AUTOCONF to an
existing vmknic, the address is added when the router sends the next router advert.
4 (Optional) Enable vMotion.
By default, vMotion is disabled.
vicfg-vmknic <conn_options> --enable-vmotion VMSF-VMK-363
You can later use --disable-vmotion to disable vMotion for this VMkernel network interface.
5 List information about all VMkernel network interfaces on the system.
vicfg-vmknic <conn_options> --list
The command displays the network information, port group, MTU, and current state for each virtual
network adapter in the system.
6 (Optional) Remove the IPv6 address and disable IPv6.
vicfg-vmknic <conn_options> --unset-ip <X:X:X::/X> VMSF-VMK-363
vicfg-vmknic <conn_options> --enable-ipv6 false VMSF-VMK-363
Setting Up vSphere Networking with vSphere Distributed Switch
You can use vicfg-vswitch to set up vSphere distributed switches.
A distributed switch functions as a single virtual switch across all associated hosts. A distributed switch
allows virtual machines to maintain a consistent network conguration as they migrate across multiple
hosts. See “Networking Using vSphere Distributed Switches,” on page 133.
Like a vSphere standard switch, each distributed switch is a network hub that virtual machines can use. A
distributed switch can forward trac internally between virtual machines or link to an external network by
connecting to uplink adapters.
Each distributed switch can have one or more distributed port groups assigned to it. Distributed port
groups group multiple ports under a common conguration and provide a stable anchor point for virtual
machines that are connecting to labeled networks. Each distributed port group is identied by a network
label, which is unique to the current data center. A VLAN ID, which restricts port group trac to a logical
Ethernet segment within the physical network, is optional.
You can create distributed switches by using the vSphere Web Client. After you have created a distributed
switch, you can add hosts by using the vSphere Web Client, create distributed port groups, and edit
distributed switch properties and policies with the vSphere Web Client. You can add and remove uplink
ports by using vicfg-vswitch.
I In vSphere 5.0, you cannot create distributed virtual switches by using ESXCLI.
vSphere Command-Line Interface Concepts and Examples
148 VMware, Inc.