Add more network interfaces to simulator

[bmorse]

Can this be done in VMware Fusion?  I get an error when trying to add more than (4) interfaces. 

[shatfield · Accepted solution]

Sure, but some hand editing of the vmx is required.

To add more nics, you need more PCI slots. To get more PCI slots, you need a PCI bridge.

Add the following snippet to your .vmx file.

pciBridge0.present = "TRUE"

  pciBridge4.present = "TRUE"

  pciBridge4.virtualDev = "pcieRootPort"

  pciBridge4.functions = "8"

  pciBridge5.present = "TRUE"

  pciBridge5.virtualDev = "pcieRootPort"

  pciBridge5.functions = "8"

  pciBridge6.present = "TRUE"

  pciBridge6.virtualDev = "pcieRootPort"

  pciBridge6.functions = "8"

  pciBridge7.present = "TRUE"

  pciBridge7.virtualDev = "pcieRootPort"

  pciBridge7.functions = "8"

This works best on a clean never-booted vmx file. If you get PCI slot errors after adding this code, change the slot number of the problematic devices to -1, which tells the hyper visor to pick an open slot at boot.

[bmorse]

I'm getting the following errors after creating an ifgrp in the simulator.

[shatfield]

neat.  is that in fusion? 

Best guess is fusion cant cope with seeing duplicate macs.  

I know single mode vifs work on esx.  I have one configured that way now.   

In this example from a sim on ESX, I have e0c & e0d in vif1.  

Both ports now have the virtual mac of the vif:

vsim101> ifconfig -a
e0a: flags=0xe48867<UP,BROADCAST,RUNNING,MULTICAST> mtu 1500
        inet 192.168.126.101 netmask 0xffffff00 broadcast 192.168.126.255
        partner e0a (not in use)
        ether 00:50:56:91:cc:65 (auto-1000t-fd-up) flowcontrol full
e0b: flags=0xe08866<BROADCAST,RUNNING,MULTICAST> mtu 1500
        ether 00:50:56:91:d1:ea (auto-1000t-fd-up) flowcontrol full
e0c: flags=0x8e48867<UP,BROADCAST,RUNNING,MULTICAST> mtu 1500
        ether 02:50:56:91:cc:65 (auto-1000t-fd-up) flowcontrol full
        trunked vif1
e0d: flags=0x8e08867<BROADCAST,RUNNING,MULTICAST> mtu 1500
        ether 02:50:56:91:cc:65 (auto-1000t-fd-up) flowcontrol full
        trunked vif1
e0e: flags=0x4e48867<UP,BROADCAST,RUNNING,MULTICAST,NOWINS> mtu 1500
        inet 192.168.122.101 netmask 0xffffff00 broadcast 192.168.122.255
        partner e0e (not in use)
        ether 00:50:56:91:83:69 (auto-1000t-fd-up) flowcontrol full
e0f: flags=0xe48867<UP,BROADCAST,RUNNING,MULTICAST> mtu 1500
        inet 192.168.122.103 netmask 0xffffff00 broadcast 192.168.122.255
        partner e0f (not in use)
        ether 00:50:56:91:c7:73 (auto-1000t-fd-up) flowcontrol full
e0g: flags=0xe48867<UP,BROADCAST,RUNNING,MULTICAST,ACP_PORT> mtu 1500 PRIVATE
        inet 192.168.2.237 netmask 0xfffffc00 broadcast 192.168.3.255 noddns
        ether 00:50:56:91:b2:01 (auto-1000t-fd-up) flowcontrol full
e0h: flags=0xe00864<RUNNING> mtu 1500 PRIVATE
        ether 00:50:56:0e:50:9a (auto-1000t-fd-up) flowcontrol full
lo: flags=0x1b48049<UP,LOOPBACK,RUNNING,MULTICAST,TCPCKSUM> mtu 9188
        inet 127.0.0.1 netmask 0xff000000 broadcast 127.0.0.1
losk: flags=0x40a400c9<UP,LOOPBACK,RUNNING> mtu 9188
        inet 127.0.20.1 netmask 0xff000000 broadcast 127.0.20.1
vif1: flags=0x20e48863<UP,BROADCAST,RUNNING,MULTICAST> mtu 1500
        inet 192.168.121.11 netmask 0xffffff00 broadcast 192.168.121.255
        partner vif1 (not in use)
        ether 02:50:56:91:cc:65 (Enabled interface groups)
vsim101>

[MarkTayler]

How did you add ports e0e - e0h to the simulator running in ESX ?

[SeanHatfield]

Looks like you figured it out, but for future readers of this thread...

If the simulator was deployed using the OVA package, or was converted to an OVA/OVF prior to deployment, then the bridge is automatically created and all you need to do is add NICs in the VMware GUI.

If the simulator was deployed from the older TGZ or ZIP packages, then the VMX file will need to be modified like shown in my older post above.

Also, port channels don't work in 8.3+ in the simulator.  I've got a workaround but its long winded.  If someone needs it I'll write it up.

[dianasim]

HELLO

I AM TRYNG TO SETUP VSIM ONTAPP 8.2.3 CLUSTER MODE DOWNLOADED ON THE NETAPP SITE BUT I NEED MORE NETWORK INTERFACES. WHEN I ADD THE COMMAND ON MY VMX FILE THE FILE RESULTED CORRUPTED PLEASE SOMEBODY CAN EXPLAINS ME HOW TO ADD IT ?

Manythanks.

[SeanHatfield]

The VMX file format is very particular.  One thing to watch for is duplicate lines.  For example you may have something like "pciBridge0.present" in there twice.  

[Balaz]

I got a error message so i remove existing 4 NIC add new 6 NIC now it working fine

Thanks for e help 🙂