When configuring the ESXi host's Management Network (vmk0) through the Direct Console User Interface (DCUI), administrators may observe that NIC teaming or redundancy settings applied to the underlying vSwitch do not automatically apply to the management

Products

• VMware vSphere ESXi

Issue/Introduction

This behavior is by design. The DCUI's network configuration specifically targets and applies settings only to the Management Portgroup (vmk0) and its associated vmk0 virtual network adapter, not the entire vSwitch (vSwitch0 or another standard vSwitch).By default, the DCUI implicitly enables an override on the Management Portgroup's NIC teaming policy. This ensures that the explicitly configured management settings, particularly the primary uplink, are preserved regardless of the broader vSwitch policies.

Explanation and Behavior:

1. DCUI Scope: The DCUI is a tool for initial, fundamental host setup. Its network configuration capabilities are limited to vmk0 (the Management VMkernel Adapter) and its direct uplink association. It does not configure vSwitch-wide policies.
2. Default Teaming: If you add multiple physical NICs (e.g., vmnic0 and vmnic1) to vSwitch0 via the DCUI, the Management Portgroup (vmk0) will typically set vmnic0 as the Active adapter. Any additional uplinks (vmnic1, etc.) added through the DCUI will default to a Standby or Unused state for vmk0, depending on the specific configuration flow.
3. No Automatic Updates: If you add new physical uplinks to the vSwitch after the initial DCUI setup (e.g., via the vSphere Client), these new uplinks will default to the Unused state for the Management Portgroup (vmk0). The management portgroup's teaming policy will not automatically update to include these new uplinks for redundancy.
4. Portgroup Override: The Management Portgroup's NIC teaming policy always takes precedence over the vSwitch's default policy due to this built-in override.

Resolution

To ensure proper redundancy and failover for the ESXi host's Management Network (vmk0), administrators must manually configure the NIC teaming policy for the Management Portgroup after the initial host setup using the DCUI.

Steps:

1. Log in to vCenter Server (or directly to the ESXi host using the Host Client).
2. Navigate to the ESXi host's networking configuration:
   • vCenter Server: Host > Configure > Networking > Virtual switches.
   • Host Client: Networking > Virtual Switches.
3. Select the vSwitch that hosts the Management Network (commonly vSwitch0).
4. Locate the Management Network portgroup (typically labeled "Management Network") under the vSwitch.
5. Edit the NIC Teaming policy for this specific portgroup (vmk0).
6. Adjust the "Active adapters," "Standby adapters," and "Unused adapters" to reflect your desired redundancy strategy (e.g., setting both vmnic0 and vmnic1 as Active).

Summary:

The behavior of the Management Network configuration via the ESXi DCUI is expected. It is designed to preserve specific management settings for vmk0 by applying an override. For full management network redundancy, manual configuration of the vmk0 portgroup's NIC teaming policy in vCenter or the Host Client is required after the initial DCUI setup.

Additional Information

For further details on configuring network settings on vSwitches, refer to the official VMware documentation:

• Configure Network Settings on vSwitch