Co-existence of NSX for vSphere and NSX-T

Products

• VMware NSX

Issue/Introduction

This article describes when NSX for vSphere and NSX-T can co-exist in a customer datacenter.

Symptoms:

• Possible conflicts between VIBs on an ESXi host.
• Potential Purple Diagnostic Screen on an ESXi host.

Environment

VMware NSX-T

Resolution

The following are details related to where NSX for vSphere and NSX-T can co-exist in a customer datacenter:

Use Case 1: NSX for vSphere and NSX-T as separate installations on unique vCenter Servers.

NSX for vSphere and NSX-T can be installed in the same physical datacenter on different infrastructures as there is no direct integration between the products. Virtual machines can communicate between the NSX for vSphere and NSX-T environment if the customer configures the appropriate routing between the systems. In this architecture, the products are compatible.

Use Case 2: NSX for vSphere and NSX-T as separate Installation on Shared vCenter Servers.

NSX for vSphere and NSX-T can be installed in which both products leverage the same vCenter Server. In this deployment, the NSX infrastructure machines such as the Manager and Controllers may be on a shared vCenter Sever Management cluster. However, each NSX platform must not share any compute clusters.

For example:

• Management Cluster: Shared NSX for vSphere and NSX-T Managers and Controllers. Not prepared for either NSX platform.
• Compute Cluster T - One ore more compute clusters prepared for only NSX-T.
• Compute Cluster V - One or more compute clusters prepared for only NSX for vSphere.

Network communications between NSX for vSphere and NSX-T can be achieved at layer 3 by peering the NSX for vSphere Edge gateways with the NSX-T T0 routers running on NSX-T Edge nodes or through a top of rack (TOR) switch. Edges can be in distinct vSphere clusters or in a shared vSphere cluster prepared for NSX-v but with the NSX-T VM form-factor Edge nodes connected through VDS or VSS. Additionally NSX-T bare-metal Edge nodes can stand apart from vCenter and hosts.

Use Case 3: NSX for vSphere and NSX-T Installed on the same Host.

This use case is not supported and may cause issues on the host such as a PSOD or other conflicts between the NSX VIBs from NSX for vSphere and NSX-T.

Use Case 4: NSX for vSphere and NSX-T configured to prepare Hosts in a common vCenter Server cluster.

This use case is not supported as both NSX for vSphere and NSX-T will attempt to prepare hosts in the cluster configured to be prepared by both NSX for vSphere and NSX-T. This will cause hosts to be prepared for both NSX for vSphere and NSX-T which is not supported. See Use Case #3 above.