VMware vSwitch and Cisco switch configuration

These are field configurations that have been in-use for years and have their origin from both VMware and Cisco Best Practice documents regarding VMware integration. We use these configurations as reference when working with customer’s network teams in setting up any new Cisco network equipment for VMware.

Standard trunk port Best Practice switchport configuration:

interface GigabitEthernet#/#
description <<** ESX Host #/# **>>
switchport trunk encapsulation dot1q
switchport trunk allowed vlan 1,#,#,#
switchport mode trunk
switchport nonegotiate
spanning-tree portfast trunk
exit

Standard ether-channel Best Practice switchport configuration:

IMPORTANT NOTE: Etherchannel is only applicable if all the interfaces bound to the channel are going to the same physical switch OR that all of the interfaces are going to different physical switches which are stacked together (with an actual stacking cable, not an ISL.) If you are running these interfaces to two separate network switches, you cannot Etherchannel them and they should be configured as above rather than the example below.

interface port-channel #
description <<** ESX EC# **>>
switchport
switchport trunk encapsulation dot1q
switchport trunk allowed vlan 1,#,#,#
switchport mode trunk
interface GigabitEthernet#/#
description <<** EC#/INT# **>>
switchport trunk encapsulation dot1q
switchport trunk allowed vlan 1,#,#,#
switchport mode trunk
channel-group # mode on
interface GigabitEthernet#/#
description <<** EC#/INT# **>>
switchport trunk encapsulation dot1q
switchport trunk allowed vlan 1,#,#,#
switchport mode trunk
channel-group # mode on
exit

NOTE: It is also worth mentioning that it is assumed the member ports (those with channel-group # mode on as above) will inherit their configuration from the channel-group but it is sometimes necessary to replicate that configuration to their individual switchport configurations as above.