VMWare ESX vSwitches and Multi pSwtiches

[SolMiester]

Hi all, I have a backbone gigabyte switch that is full and need another ESX host. I was hoping to extend the backbone by linking a 2nd gigabyte switch and connecting half the desktop switches to it and 1 pNIC per vSwitch to each pSwitch WITHOUT teaming.
Curremtly we have teaming to the 1 pSwitch but it doesnt seem to load balance (yes have done hash IP on vSwitch).
Below overview is current

Below is proposed...I would remove NIC teaming to single backbone and run pNic to each pSwitch...
I dont know if this wil work or create a loop...

ideas? Im not that experienced with vLAN and switching!

Thanks

 

[JoJoDawg]

I would add a 2nd route to all the desktop switches from each core GB switch for redundancy. This way you can lose one GB Switch and still have everyone able to communicate.

Also any routers in place? Will need a router or Layer 3 switch if you want to use different VLAN's

Sorry if anything is wrong with my assertion since I have just started looking at the Switch/Router piece of networking. I came over to networking(2yrs now) from desktop and was waist deep in Exchange and Telecom, plus general server administration.

 

[SolMiester]

I would add a 2nd route to all the desktop switches from each core GB switch for redundancy. This way you can lose one GB Switch and still have everyone able to communicate.

Also any routers in place? Will need a router or Layer 3 switch if you want to use different VLAN's

Sorry if anything is wrong with my assertion since I have just started looking at the Switch/Router piece of networking. I came over to networking(2yrs now) from desktop and was waist deep in Exchange and Telecom, plus general server administration.

Hi, thanks for taking the time to reply...Im not really that worried about redundancy on the desktop switches TBH, just getting better traffic flow into the vSwitches.....I have to get another switch anyway to allow for a new host, I will try this config, if it doesnt work, then I might try stacking the 2 gigabyte switches into 1 unit and teaming the pNic across both to ensure load balancing...

 

[imagoon]

Quick thing I see is: You can't bond etherchannels across multiple switches unless the switches are stacking units, so your wiring config in the ESX area would cause a loop.

Simply put you would be better off buying a larger switch in the ESX area (looks like a 12 port maybe?) Upgrade to a 24 or 48 and be done. You already are looking at adding a switch from what I can tell.

 

[SolMiester]

Quick thing I see is: You can't bond etherchannels across multiple switches unless the switches are stacking units, so your wiring config in the ESX area would cause a loop.

Simply put you would be better off buying a larger switch in the ESX area (looks like a 12 port maybe?) Upgrade to a 24 or 48 and be done. You already are looking at adding a switch from what I can tell.

BUT the pNIC are not bonded in the proposed config, just separate pNic from same vSwitch to different pSwitches..?