Creating vSwitches with custom names

Products

• VMware vCenter Server
• VMware vSphere ESXi

Issue/Introduction

This article provides information about creating custom names for vSwitches.

Environment

VMware ESXi 4.0.x Embedded
VMware ESXi 4.0.x Installable
VMware vCenter Server 4.0.x
VMware ESXi 3.5.x Installable
VMware ESX Server 3.0.x
VMware ESXi 3.5.x Embedded
VMware ESX 4.0.x
VMware ESX Server 3.5.x
VMware VirtualCenter 2.5.x

Resolution

vSwitches that you create in VirtualCenter are by default given names like vSwitch0, vSwitch1, and so on. You do not have the option to create custom names.

 

• To create a vSwitch with a custom name, run this command:

esxcfg-vswitch -a "name"

 

Note: Where "name"is a custom name.

• To verify that the vSwitch was created successfully, run this command:

esxcfg-vswitch -l
 

Note: Depending on your environment, the newly created vSwitch may not be immediately visible in Virtual Center. If it does not appear, wait a few minutes, then refresh the Networking page.

Additional Information

For related information on vSwitch creation and naming in ESXi 5.x and 6.0, see the Managing vSphere Networking section in the vSphere Command-Line Interface Documentation.