There are couple command line tools that VMWare ESX offers when the server has been installed with the “Service Console” mode (without i). In the following example I will explain and show how to create new vSwitch; link a physical network interface and assign a IP address for your “Service Console” management interface.

[root@LAB-ESX-01 root]# esxcfg-vswitch -a vSwitch0 –> This will create new virtual switch

[root@LAB-ESX-01 root]# esxcfg-vswitch -L vmnic0 vSwitch0 –> This will link my first physical network interface to vSwitch0

Result of the two commands:

As you can see vmnic0 with 1000Mbps has been associated with vSwitch0. Now I would like to have a “Service Console” port group sitting on this virtual switch.

[root@LAB-ESX-01 root]# esxcfg-vswitch -A Service\ Console vSwitch0 –> This will create new port group named Service Console. Creating new port group on a virtual switch is nothing more than assigning or defining a interface on a switch. Now I would like to assign a L3 IP address on this interface/portgroup.

[root@LAB-ESX-01 root]# esxcfg-vswif -a vswif2 -p “Service Console” -i 192.168.1.2 -n 255.255.255.0 -b 192.168.1.255 –> This will create new L3 interface which is linked to the Service Console port group with an static IP address. ESX server will generate new L2 mac address and assign this to the vswif2 interface.

[2008-09-12 13:22:21 ‘Vnic’ warning] Generated New MAC address, 00:50:56:40:49:f4 for vswif2

Target result:

Just using two built-in esx configuration command line tools I was able to create and assign new service console ip address on a special physical management network interface.

Summary:

• esxcfg-vswitch -a switch_name
• esxcfg-vswitch -L physical_nic switch_name
• esxcfg-vswitch -A Service\ Console switch_name
• esxcfg-vswif -a vswif2 -p “Service Console” -i 192.168.1.2 -n 255.255.255.0 -b 192.168.1.255

Related links:

• B2V Guide to VMware ESX Server 3