- VMware Distributed Switch (vDS) provides
centralized network management across multiple ESXi hosts - Unlike vSS, it is managed from vCenter
- Key benefits:
- Centralized configuration
- Advanced traffic shaping
- Network vMotion support
-
Best suited for
enterprise environments and multi-host clusters - Requires vSphere Enterprise Plus licensing
vSphere Standard Switch (vSS)
The vSphere Standard Switch (vSS) is used to provide network connectivity for hosts, virtual machines, and to handle VMKernel traffic. The standard switch works only with one ESXi host. vSphere standard switches bridge traffic internally between virtual machines in a VLAN.
The standard switch does not require Enterprise plus licensing for usage. This is one of the real advantages for standard switch users. A standard switch is created at the host level, i.e., we can create and manage a vSphere standard switch independently on an ESXi host. Inbound traffic shaping is not available as a part of the standard switch. Networking vMotion is not available on the standard switch.
Comparison: vSS vs vDS Quick Comparison
| Feature | vSphere Standard Switch (vSS) | vSphere Distributed Switch (vDS) |
|---|---|---|
| Scope | Single ESXi host | Multiple ESXi hosts |
| Management | Per host | Centralized via vCenter |
| Traffic Shaping | Outbound only | Inbound and outbound |
| Network vMotion | Not supported | Supported |
| Configuration Consistency | Manual | Automated |
| Use Case | Small environments | Enterprise clusters |
vSphere Distributed Switch (vDS)
A vSphere Distributed Switch (vDS) allows a single virtual switch to connect multiple ESXi hosts. The vSphere Distributed Switch in a data center handles the networking configuration of multiple hosts at a time from a central place.
Distributed switches allow different hosts to use the switch as they exist in the same host. It provides centralized management and monitoring of the network configuration of all the ESXi hosts that are associated with the vDS. The vSphere Distributed Switch (vDS) gives priority to traffic and allows other network streams to utilize the available bandwidth.
The vSphere Distributed Switch includes rollback and recovery for patching and updating network configuration and templates to enable backup and restore for virtual networking configuration. Inbound traffic shaping is possible to apply in distributed switches only. Networking vMotion is used in distributed switches only.
Networking vMotion – Networking vMotion tracks the virtual machine’s networking state. As a VM moves from host to host on a vNetwork Distributed Switch. It is possible to apply it only in distributed switching.
Features similar in both standard switch and distributed switch
Some of the features are similar to apply both standard and distributed switches. They are listed below.
- Forward L2 Frames
- Segment traffic into LANs
- Use and understand 802.1q VLAN encapsulation
- Having more than one Uplink (NIC Teaming)
- Traffic Shaping for Outbound traffic
Configuration for Standard switch and Distributed switch in vSphere Client 6.5
Let us see the configuration for the Standard switch and Distributed switch in vSphere client 6.5.
- Navigate to ESXi host in web client
- Choose a connection type for which you want to use new standard switch
- Right-click Networking and choose the option “Add Standard vSwitch” to create a standard switch
- Assign a name to the standard vSwitch and click Add
- A new switch is created under Virtual Switches
- In the vCenter web client, navigate to a data center
- Right-click datacenter->Select Distributed Switch
- Specify a name and location to create a distributed switch (vDS) and click Next
- Specify a distributed switch version that is compatible with ESXi version 6.5 and click Next
- Assign the uplink port number, resource allocation, and default port group and click Next
- Review the created, distributed switch settings and click Finish
| Option | Description |
| VMKernel Network Adapter | Create a new VMkernel adapter to handle host management traffic, vMotion, network storage, fault tolerance, or Virtual SAN traffic. |
| Physical Network Adapter | Add physical network adapters to an existing or a new standard switch |
| Virtual Machine Port Group for a Standard Switch | Create a new port group for virtual machine networking |
Create a new Standard Switch (vSS) using Physical Network Adapter
Configuration for Distributed Switch
Now you could see a distributed switch (vDS) created in the data center.
FAQ:
1. What is the main advantage of a VMware Distributed Switch?
Centralized network management across multiple ESXi hosts using vCenter.
2. Does vDS require vCenter?
Yes, vDS requires vCenter for creation and management and cannot be configured independently on ESXi hosts.
3. Is VMware Distributed Switch free?
No, it requires vSphere Enterprise Plus licensing.
4. What is Network vMotion in vDS?
vMotion maintains network connectivity during live migration by preserving the VM’s MAC and IP address, and notifying the network of the VM’s new location on the destination host.
5. Can I migrate from vSS to vDS?
Yes, VMware provides tools to migrate networking configurations from vSS to vDS.
Conclusion
The Standard Switch (vSS) and Distributed Switch (vDS) enable advanced virtual network topology between VMs and hosts.
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