HP Virtual Connect for the Cisco Network Administrator

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A Description of the VMware Components:
Referencing the figure below, the VMware ESX server (left) is a single physical server running
server virtualization software (VMware) that allows the physical server to host one or more
instances of a virtual server, called a Virtual Machine (VM). In addition, the VMware ESX server
provides external network connectivity to the internal servers (VMs) using a virtual (software)
implementation of a layer 2 bridge, called a vSwitch. The VM virtual NICs (vNics) are assigned
to one of the vSwitches and the vSwitches are then associated with real physical NICs residing in
I/O slots on the VMware ESX server. The vSwitches can have one or more physical NICs
(uplinks) assigned to them to provide external network connectivity. If more than one physical
NIC is assigned to the same vSwitch, network redundancy and/or load balancing is provided
for the internal servers (VMs) assigned to that vSwitch. The physical NICs then present one or
more MAC addresses to the external network, depending on the number of VMs
communicating to the external network through each physical NIC.
A Comparative Description of the VC Components:
Referencing the figure below, the c-Class enclosure (right) is a single physical enclosure that
hosts one or more real physical servers, called a blade server. In addition, the c-Class enclosure
provides external network connectivity to the internal servers (blade servers) using a hardware
implementation of a layer 2 bridge, called a Virtual Connect Ethernet network (vNet). The blade
server physical NICs (pNics) are assigned to one of the vNets and the vNets are then associated
with real physical VC uplink ports from VC-Enet modules residing in the I/O bays on the c-Class
enclosure. The vNets can have one or more VC uplinks assigned to them to provide external
network connectivity. If more than one VC uplink is assigned to the same vNet, network
redundancy and/or load balancing is provided for the internal servers (blade servers)
assigned to that vNet. The VC uplinks then present one or more MAC addresses to the
external network, depending on the number of blade servers communicating to the external
network through each VC uplink.
Figure 8. VMware ESX server Compared to Virtual Connect Enclosure