Exporting/importing/restoring Distributed Switch configs using vSphere Web Client
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Exporting/importing/restoring Distributed Switch configs using vSphere Web Client

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Article ID: 338595

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Updated On:

Products

VMware vCenter Server VMware vSphere ESXi

Issue/Introduction

This article provides information on exporting, importing, and restoring Distributed Switch configurations using the vSphere Web Client.

Note: There is no option to perform these operations in VMware vCenter Server 5.0 and earlier.

Environment

VMware vCenter Server 6.5.x
VMware vSphere Web Client 6.5.x
VMware vSphere ESXi 6.5
VMware vSphere ESXi 6.7
VMware vCenter Server 6.7.x
VMware vSphere Web Client 6.7.x
VMware vSphere ESXi 7.0
VMware vSphere Web Client 7.0.x
VMware vCenter Server 7.0.x
VMware vCenter Server 8.0.x
VMware vSphere ESXi 8.0
VMware vSphere Web Client 8.0.x

Resolution

vSphere 5.1 and later allow you to export, import, or restore Distributed Switch configurations from the vSphere Web Client.

Exporting Distributed Switch configurations

You can export vSphere distributed switch and distributed port group configurations to a file. The file preserves valid network configurations, enabling distribution of these configurations to other deployments. This functionality is available only with the vSphere Web Client 5.1 or later. However, you can export settings from any version of a distributed switch if you use the vSphere Web Client or later.

To export vSphere Distributed Switch configurations using the vSphere Web Client:
  1. Browse to a distributed switch in the vSphere Web Client navigator.
  2. Right-click the distributed switch and click All vCenter Actions > Export Configuration.

    Note: For vCenter Server 6.x, right-click the distributed switch and click Settings > Export Configuration.
     
  3. Select the Export the distributed switch configuration or Export the distributed switch configuration and all port groups option.
  4. (Optional) Type notes about this configuration in the Description field.
  5. Click OK.
  6. Click Yes to save the configuration file to your local system.

    You now have a configuration file that contains all settings for the selected distributed switch and distributed port group. You can use this file to create multiple copies of this configuration on an existing deployment or overwrite the settings of existing distributed switches and port groups to conform to the selected settings.

Importing Distributed Switch configurations

Exported configuration file can be used to create a copy of the exported distributed switch or to overwrite settings on an existing distributed switch.

Note: Importing a backup from a higher vCenter Server version into lower vCenter Server version is NOT supported.

To create a copy of exported distributed switch, use the import option to create a distributed switch from an exported configuration file. The configuration file contains valid network configurations, enabling distribution of these configurations to other deployments. This functionality is available only with the vSphere Web Client 5.1 or later. However, you can import settings from any version of distributed switch if you use the vSphere Web Client 5.1 or later.

To import a vSphere Distributed Switch Configuration using the vSphere Web Client:
  1. Browse to a datacenter in the vSphere Web Client navigator.
  2. Right-click the datacenter in the navigator and click All vCenter Actions > Import Distributed Switch.

    Note: For vCenter Server 6.x, right-click the datacenter and click Distributed Switch > Import Distributed Switch.
     
  3. Browse to the location of your saved configuration file.
  4. Select the Preserve original distributed switch and port group identifiers option.
Note: While importing dvswitch settings to a different vCenter Server, do not select Preserve original distributed switch port group identifiers.
  1. Click Next. If you entered notes about the saved configuration file, they appear in the Notes section.
  2. Review the import settings before completing the import.
  3. Click Finish.

    A new distributed switch is created with configuration settings from the configuration file. If you included distributed port group information in your configuration file, the distributed port groups are also created.

Restoring Distributed Switch configurations

You can use the restore option to reset the configuration of an existing distributed switch to the settings in the configuration file. Restoring a distributed switch changes the settings on the selected switch back to the settings saved in the configuration file. This functionality is available only in the vSphere Web Client 5.1 or later. However, you can restore settings from any distributed switch version if you use the vSphere Web Client 5.1 or later.

To restore a vSphere Distributed Switch Configuration using the vSphere Web Client:
  1. Browse to a distributed switch in the vSphere Web Client navigator.
  2. Right-click the distributed switch and click All vCenter Actions > Restore Configuration.

    Note: For vCenter Server 6.x, right-click the distributed switch and click Settings > Restore Configuration.
     
  3. Browse for the configuration backup file to use.
  4. Select the Restore distributed switch and all port groups or Restore distributed switch only option and click Next.
  5. Review the summary information for the restore.
  6. Click Finish.

Note: Restoring a distributed switch overwrites the current settings of the distributed switch and its port groups. It does not delete existing port groups that are not part of the configuration file.


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