Re: WOT: nexus 1000v on vmware wokstation

As (implicitly) promissed, I tested vmware workstation's ability to pass
802.1q, and it does not work. Mixed feelings now :)

FYI, you can configure a trunk in your guest and generated frames pass
to the outside (pnic) fine. But return traffic is "tag cleaned" and
enters via native vlan, so trunk is broken.
Seems to be a vswitch issue, I'll try to find if there's an option, but
I'm not hopeful. I'll try to do VSM/VEM w/o trunks, but I'm not hopeful
there either. Too bad. In any case, this is WWOT now.

-Carlos

Carlos G Mendioroz @ 25/02/2010 7:19 -0300 dixit:
> Hi Nick,
> I don't know a kilo :) But here's my reasoning/findings:
>
> The N100v has basically 2 parts:
> VSM (the supervisor part) which runs in its own 64 bit "machine".
> It can be a VM or it can be an appliance.
> VEM (the module part) which is kind of an interpreter/translator
> between the VSM "commands" and the VDS implementation via vmware API.
> It runs on ESX and needs VDS, hence the need of Enterprise Plus ?
> It is actually a package that runs either on the ESX console or
> on the vmkernel in the case of ESXi.
>
> I have not been able to find much about the configuration of the VSM.
> It uses 3 vnics for control/mgmt/data and the installation guide
> (and t-shooting guides) assume it is inside an ESX too.
> But given that it can run in an appliance, in which case I don't know
> if it sits inside an ESXi or bare metal, I thought it could run just
> in a 64 bit workstation vm. Why ? Because I don't have a real ESX to
> play with (which is the best way to learn, IMHO).
> You can install ESX inside a workstation vm. That's fine BUT you can not
> host 64 bit machines inside that ESX (recursive hosting) because vmware
> does not virtualize Intel VT. Whatever.
>
> But in my testing, the VEM installs fine, the VSM installs fine, but the
> VEM says it's not hearing the VSM heartbit. I'm suspicious of
> workstation not passing 802.1q, or some stupid configuration error on my
> side. I'll see to nail the first. The second... is much harder, and
> that's the reason for my asking for help :)
>
> Thanks,
> -Carlos
>
> Nick Matthews @ 25/02/2010 1:12 -0300 dixit:
>> I don't know a ton about the 1k, but I do know it requires ESXi
>> Enterprise Plus licensing and a 64 bit server. Not sure if this
>> helps.
>>
>> -nick
>>
>> On Wed, Feb 24, 2010 at 1:37 PM, Carlos G Mendioroz <tron_at_huapi.ba.ar> wrote:
>>> Hi Frog,
>>> I don't follow what was your problem. In my case, installation
>>> runs smooth, but then the VSM dows not see the VEM.
>>> All my "hardware" is virtual on vmware workstation, so I don't
>>> see what compatibility is onvolved. All vnics are e1000 (intel).
>>>
>>> -Carlos
>>>
>>> Radioactive Frog @ 24/02/2010 11:23 -0300 dixit:
>>>> Hi there carlos,
>>>>
>>>> I ran into the same issue. The N1K must be supported by Vmware for the
>>>> hardware you are runnning.
>>>> Check the compatibility table on vmware.com <http://vmware.com>.
>>>>
>>>> I am running it on Cisco UCS platfarm and had no issue with it.
>>>>
>>>> hth
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> On Wed, Feb 24, 2010 at 9:46 AM, Carlos G Mendioroz <tron_at_huapi.ba.ar
>>>> <mailto:tron_at_huapi.ba.ar>> wrote:
>>>>
>>>> Hi,
>>>> I guess there may be someone here who has already played with this.
>>>> After trying to make it work and (so far) being defeated, I'm trying to
>>>> gather some additional forces to win this battle.
>>>>
>>>> The issue is that I don't have a box to run esx, so I'm trying to
>>>> run it inside vmware workstation.
>>>> Now the VSM will not run under a virtualized esx, so I'm running
>>>> it under workstation too. (And this is not supported, have I said ?)
>>>>
>>>> The thing is that the VSM does not see the VEM...or vice versa.
>>>> Anybody have some spare time and interest in this ?
>>>> If it comes with knowledge, the better :)
>>>>
>>>> Thanks,
>>>> --
>>>> Carlos G Mendioroz <tron_at_huapi.ba.ar <mailto:tron_at_huapi.ba.ar>>
>>>> LW7 EQI Argentina
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> Blogs and organic groups at http://www.ccie.net
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>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>> --
>>> Carlos G Mendioroz <tron_at_huapi.ba.ar> LW7 EQI Argentina
>>>
>>>
>>> Blogs and organic groups at http://www.ccie.net
>>>
>>> _______________________________________________________________________
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>>
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>>
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>>
>

-- 
Carlos G Mendioroz  <tron_at_huapi.ba.ar>  LW7 EQI  Argentina
Blogs and organic groups at http://www.ccie.net