Virtual Server Network Cards

[clarky2k3]

Hi, just wanted to know what you guys do with your network card on your virtual servers? If you had 4 gigabit nics would you assign one nic to each virtual server on the server or would you pool them together? Thoughts please!

[SYNACK]

Personally I'd pool unless you have a good reason not to as that way if only one or two are busy they can happily use the full 4GBit/s instead of being limited to 1GBit/s each.

[clarky2k3]

I thought so, cheers!

[ConradJones]

old setup was 4 x 1gb ports all spread through out vms, only do different if you need physical network seperation

#

 

new setup is 2 x 10GB ports

[Mr.Ben]

If your using hyper-v on server 2012, there are some really cool new PowerShell features to control bandwidth on the virtual servers.

 

(Check out Set-VMnetworkadaptor)

 

You can set maximum bandwidth and priority for the individual servers, breaking up the bandwidth available in the team so that your essential vm's don't get their bandwidth hogged by less important servers.

[clarky2k3]

Thanks we are using xenserver now but will be using hyper-v with our new servers

[clarky2k3]

Okay I have set my NIC teaming up and have a 'Microsoft Network Adapter Multiplexor Driver'. I am now starting to create the VM's however when coming to select a NIC there is nothing in the drop down? Do I need to create a virtual switch?

[TronXP]

In 2012 you need a virtual switch

[clarky2k3]

Do I just create one and assign it to the 'Microsoft Network Adapter Multiplexor Driver'?

[TronXP]

I would think so, I have not done it on an agrregated link, I have a nice 10Gb nic for this.

[clarky2k3]

Okay I have done this and the server stopped responding! Looking at the server it is now showing up that there are no adapters found. If I remove the virtual switch that I created everything is hunky dory!

[TronXP]

In the virtual switch options, there is a tick box that "allow mangement operating system to share this network adapter" This should solve your problem

[clarky2k3]

Ah I see... I used the command - AllowManagementOS $False...My Bad!