Welcome back to our ongoing blog series on NSX 4.0! In the previous parts of this series, we have covered the installation of NSX Manager, adding a compute manager, and configuring the NSX VIP. Today, we will be discussing how to migrate workloads from vCenter VDS to NSX environments.
Before we begin, please note that this blog post is intended for educational purposes only, and it is not recommended to perform these actions in a production environment without proper testing and planning. Additionally, some of the commands and screenshots may vary based on the version of NSX and vCenter you are using.
Migrating Workloads from VDS to NSX Environments
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In this section, we will demonstrate how to migrate workloads from vCenter VDS to NSX environments. We will be using three Windows VMs as test VMs and connecting them to different port groups on vCenter VDS. We will then move these VMs from VDS to NSX managed segments.
Step 1: Create Segments in NSX Environments
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Before we can migrate the workloads, we need to create segments in NSX environments. A segment is nothing but a portgroup. Let’s have a look at the types of segments:
* VLAN Baked Segments: In this type, you will define a VLAN ID for the segments, however, you also have to make sure that this vlan configure exists on your physical top of the rack switch.
* Overlay Backed Segments: This segment can be configured without any configuration on the physical infrastructure. It gets attached to overlay transport zone and traffic is carried by a tunnel between the hosts.
For this demo, we will only focus on VLAN backed segments. If you are looking for overlay backed segments, please refer to my previous blog post.
Step 2: Add Licenses to NSX Environments
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Before we can create segments, we need to add licenses to our NSX environments. To do this, log in to the NSX VIP and navigate to System > Licenses. Here, you can add your license key.
Step 3: Create VLAN Backed Segments in NSX Environments
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Now that we have added licenses, let’s create VLAN backed segments in NSX environments. To do this, log in to the NSX VIP and navigate to Networking > Segments. Here, you can create a new segment for each of your networks that exist on your TOR (top of the rack switches).
For this demo, we will be using Management-1631, vMotion-1632, and VSAN-1633 networks. In my lab environment, these networks are pre-created on the TOR.
To create a VLAN backed segment, click on the “Add Segment” button and provide the following information:
* Name: The name of the segment.
* Transport Zone: The virtual transport zone to which the segment will be attached.
* VLAN: The VLAN ID that you want to use for this segment.
Once you have provided all the necessary information, click “OK” to create the segment.
Step 4: Migrate Workloads from VDS to NSX Environments
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Now that we have created segments in our NSX environments, let’s migrate our workloads from vCenter VDS to these segments. To do this, log in to the vCenter server and navigate to the VMs that you want to migrate. Right-click on each VM and select “Edit VM settings.”
In the “VM Settings” window, select the “Networking” tab and select the segment that you created earlier. You can also select the “Multiple Networking” option if you want to assign multiple segments to a single VM.
Once you have selected the desired segment for each VM, click “OK” to save the changes. This will move the workloads from VDS to NSX environments.
Conclusion
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In this blog post, we have demonstrated how to migrate workloads from vCenter VDS to NSX environments. We have also covered the creation of segments in NSX environments and adding licenses to NSX environments. These are just some of the basic steps that you can follow to migrate your workloads from VDS to NSX environments.
In our next blog post, we will be discussing some of the use cases for VLAN backed segments. We will also be exploring why customers would only configure VLAN backed segments and not overlay or T1, T0, and Edge. So, stay tuned and keep an eye on my blog for more information on NSX 4.0!
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I hope this blog post has provided valuable information on migrating workloads from vCenter VDS to NSX environments. If you have any questions or comments, please leave them in the section below. Don’t forget to subscribe to my blog to receive notifications on my new posts.