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VSM and Cisco nexus 1000v

foyez.ahammed
Level 1
Level 1

Hi,

We are planning to install Cisco Nexus 1000v in our environment. Before we want to install we want to explore little bit about Cisco Nexus 1000v

•  I know there is 2 elements for Cisco 1k, VEM and VSM. Does VSM is required? Can we configure VEM individually?

•   How does Nexus 1k integrated with vCenter. Can we do all Nexus 1000v configuration from vCenter without going to VEM or VSM?

•   In term of alarming and reporting, does we need to get SNMP trap and get from individual VEM or can be use VSM to do that. OR can we   get    Cisco Nexus 1000v alarming and reporting form VMware vCenter.

•  Apart from using Nexus 1010 can what’s the recommended hosting location for VSM, (same Host as VEM, different VM, and different physical server)

Foyez Ahammed

1 Accepted Solution

Accepted Solutions

abbharga
Level 4
Level 4

Hi Foyez,

Here is a brief on the Nexus1000v and I'll answer some of your questions in that:

The Nexus1000v is a Virtual Distributed Switch (software based) from Cisco which integrated with the vSphere environment to provide uniform networking across your vmware environment for the host as well as the VMs. There are two components to the N1K infrastructure 1) VSM 2) VEM.

VSM - Virtual supervisor module is the one which controls the entire N1K setup and is from where the configuration is done for the VEM modules, interfaces, security, monitoring etc. VSM is the one which interacts with the VC.

VEM - Virtual ethernet module are simply the module or virtual linecards which provide the connectivity option or virtual ports for the VMs and other virtaul interfaces. Each ESX host today can only have one VEM. These VEMs recieve their configuration / programing from the VSM.

If you are aware of any other switching products from Cisco like the Cat 6k switches, the n1k behaves the same way but in a software / virtual environment. Where the VSM are equal of a SUPs and the VEM are similar to the line cards. The control and the packet VLANs in the n1k provide the same kind of AIPC and Inband connectivity as the 6k backplane would for the communication between the modules and the SUP (VSM in this case).

*The n1k configuration is done only from the VSM and is visible in the VC.However the port-profiles created from the VSM are pushed from the VSM to the VC and have to be assigned to the virtual / physical ports from the VC.

*You can run the VSM either on the Nexus1010 as a Virtual service blade (VSB) or as a normal VM on any of the ESX/ESXi server. The VSM and the VEM on the same server are fully supported.

You can refer the following deployment guide for some more details: http://www.cisco.com/en/US/prod/collateral/switches/ps9441/ps9902/guide_c07-556626.html

Hope this answers your queries!

./Abhinav

View solution in original post

3 Replies 3

abbharga
Level 4
Level 4

Hi Foyez,

Here is a brief on the Nexus1000v and I'll answer some of your questions in that:

The Nexus1000v is a Virtual Distributed Switch (software based) from Cisco which integrated with the vSphere environment to provide uniform networking across your vmware environment for the host as well as the VMs. There are two components to the N1K infrastructure 1) VSM 2) VEM.

VSM - Virtual supervisor module is the one which controls the entire N1K setup and is from where the configuration is done for the VEM modules, interfaces, security, monitoring etc. VSM is the one which interacts with the VC.

VEM - Virtual ethernet module are simply the module or virtual linecards which provide the connectivity option or virtual ports for the VMs and other virtaul interfaces. Each ESX host today can only have one VEM. These VEMs recieve their configuration / programing from the VSM.

If you are aware of any other switching products from Cisco like the Cat 6k switches, the n1k behaves the same way but in a software / virtual environment. Where the VSM are equal of a SUPs and the VEM are similar to the line cards. The control and the packet VLANs in the n1k provide the same kind of AIPC and Inband connectivity as the 6k backplane would for the communication between the modules and the SUP (VSM in this case).

*The n1k configuration is done only from the VSM and is visible in the VC.However the port-profiles created from the VSM are pushed from the VSM to the VC and have to be assigned to the virtual / physical ports from the VC.

*You can run the VSM either on the Nexus1010 as a Virtual service blade (VSB) or as a normal VM on any of the ESX/ESXi server. The VSM and the VEM on the same server are fully supported.

You can refer the following deployment guide for some more details: http://www.cisco.com/en/US/prod/collateral/switches/ps9441/ps9902/guide_c07-556626.html

Hope this answers your queries!

./Abhinav

Hi Abhinav,

Thanks for your response. That's the answer I was looking for. So that means alarming and reporting for Nexus 1k (VEM &VSM ) will be done

from VSM. Our management platform will get all the SNMP alert from VSM directly not vCenter or VEM ? am i correct.

Foyez Ahammed

Hi Abhinav,

Just to add on to the previous response. Could you please also advice what reporting capability is available for Nexus 1k(VEM & VSM)

Foyez Ahammed

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