Script to Configure ESX vSwitch Network Load Balancing

Information

Title: 

Script to Configure ESX vSwitch Network Load Balancing

Author(s): 

Xtravirt (Gavin Jolliffe)

Target Audience: 

Technical - Intermediate

First Published: 

1 April 2008

Products: 

VMware ESX

UID: 

XD10066

Script ESX vSwitch network load balancing using vimsh

1.0 Overview

It is possible to script the load balancing of a Virtual Switch by using the vimsh command.  The basic command syntax is:

vimsh -n -e "hostsvc/net/vswitch_setpolicy --nicteaming-policy [load balance option] [vSwitch#]"

For each of the 4 load balancing options there is a different command option:

Load Balance Type	Command Option
Port ID	loadbalance_srcid
IP Hash	loadbalance_ip
MAC	loadbalance_srcmac
Failover Only	failover_explicit

For example to change vSwitch1 from the default Port ID to IP address load balancing the command line would look like this:

vimsh -n -e "hostsvc/net/vswitch_setpolicy --nicteaming-policy loadbalance_ip vSwitch1"

This should help those who like to run automated scripted ESX builds.  Note that if using in conjunction with esxcfg commands to create and bind vSwtiches you'll need to run a service management restart and put a 20 second or so sleep to allow background processes to complete, eg: this script creates a vSwitch, labels it Production, binds vmnic 1 & 2 to it, restarts hostd, pauses for 20 seconds then modifies loadbalancing of the vSwitch to the MAC based option.

esxcfg-vswitch -a vSwitch2

esxcfg-vswitch -A Production vSwitch2

esxcfg-vswitch -L vmnic2 vSwitch2

esxcfg-vswitch -L vmnic1 vSwitch2

vimsh -n -e "/internalsvc/refresh_network"

vimsh -n -e "hostsvc/net/vswitch_setpolicy --nicteaming-policy loadbalance_srcmac vSwitch2"

Thanks to Mike Laverick (RTFM Education) for assisting with this Hot Tip

References

References: 

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Links: 

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