Network Model and Resources
ZSphere networking organizes virtual network resources around distributed switches. Hosts connect to distributed switches through uplinks. VM NICs and Kernel adapters use the corresponding networks through distributed port groups. Security groups provide traffic access control on VM NICs.
| Resource | Description |
|---|---|
| Distributed switch | Provides unified virtual switching for clusters and hosts in a data center. It is the central resource for distributed port groups, uplinks, and network topology. |
| Uplink | Connects host physical NICs to a distributed switch. Uplink configuration includes aggregation mode, hash policy, and host NIC selection, and determines how hosts connect to the corresponding virtual network. |
| Distributed port group | Provides network configuration for VM NICs and Kernel adapters. A distributed port group can include VLAN, DHCP, IP address management, network segment, and DNS configuration. |
| Kernel adapter | Uses network labels to identify host-side traffic. After the first host is added to a cluster, ZSphere creates a default Kernel adapter for each host to obtain and display the host management network. You can also create Kernel adapters for storage network services. |
| Security group | Controls VM NIC traffic through ingress and egress security group rules. A VM NIC can join multiple security groups, and traffic is matched against rules based on security group priority. |
Default Network Resources
After the first host is added to a cluster, ZSphere automatically creates a default distributed switch, a default distributed port group, and a default Kernel adapter based on the host configuration. These resources are used for centralized management of the host management network. You can later reuse the default distributed switch to create distributed port groups or create custom distributed switches based on your network plan.