6.5.1

Table Of Contents
IPv6 Connectivity of Virtual Machines
Virtual machines can exchange data in the network over IPv6. vSphere supports both static and
automatic assignment of IPv6 addresses for virtual machines.
Configuring one or more IPv6 addresses is also possible when you customize the guest operating system
of a virtual machine.
FQDNs and IPv6 Addresses
In vSphere, you should use fully qualified domain names (FQDNs) that are mapped to IPv6 addresses on
the DNS server. You can use IPv6 addresses if they have a valid FQDN on the DNS server for reverse
lookup.
To deploy vCenter Server in a pure IPv6 environment, you must use FQDNs only.
Deploying vSphere on IPv6
Run vSphere in a pure IPv6 environment to use an extended address space and flexible address
assignment.
If you plan to deploy vCenter Server and ESXi hosts in an IPv6 network, you must perform additional
steps.
n
Enable IPv6 on a vSphere Installation
If you have a greenfield deployment of vSphere 6.5 in an IPv6 network, configure ESXi and
vCenter Server for pure IPv6 management connection by configuring IPv6 on the deployment nodes
and connecting them.
n
Enable IPv6 on an Upgraded vSphere Environment
On an IPv4 deployment of vSphere 6.5 that consists of an installed or upgraded vCenter Server and
upgraded ESXi, configure ESXi and vCenter Server for pure IPv6 management connection by
enabling IPv6 on the deployed nodes and reconnecting them.
Enable IPv6 on a vSphere Installation
If you have a greenfield deployment of vSphere 6.5 in an IPv6 network, configure ESXi and
vCenter Server for pure IPv6 management connection by configuring IPv6 on the deployment nodes and
connecting them.
Prerequisites
n
Verify that the IPv6 addresses for vCenter Server, the ESXi hosts and an external database, if used,
are mapped to fully qualified domain names (FQDNs) on the DNS server.
n
Verify that the network infrastructure provides IPv6 connectivity for the ESXi hosts, vCenter Server
and external database if used.
n
Verify that you have version 6.5 of vCenter Server installed with FQDN that is mapped to an IPv6
address. See the vSphere Installation and Setup documentation.
vSphere Networking
VMware, Inc. 212