VxRail networking rules and restrictions include:

• The Ethernet ports selected during the VxRail initial build process to support the VxRail cluster are reserved exclusively for VxRail usage and cannot be reconfigured for purposes outside of VxRail networking.
• Any unused Ethernet ports on the nodes that are not reserved for VxRail cluster networking can be used for other customer use cases, such as guest networks, external storage, and other requirements.
• Guest networks can share resources with the Ethernet ports reserved for VxRail networking, or unused Ethernet ports on the nodes can be configured to support guest networks.
• For VxRail clusters running all Ethernet ports at 1 GbE speed:

• Four ports on each node must be reserved for VxRail network traffic.
• Single processor VxRail models only
• Maximum of eight nodes per cluster
• Only hybrid VxRail models can be configured with 1 GbE speed. All-flash VxRail models cannot support 1 GbE.

• For VxRail nodes supplied with Ethernet ports greater than 1 GbE:

• The most common topology is to configure the cluster with either two ports or four ports per node to support VxRail networking traffic.
• Starting with VxRail 7.0.400, six ports or eight ports per node can be selected to support VxRail networking. This option is best used for deployments supporting highly demanding and network-intense workloads.
• Adding Ethernet ports beyond the ports initially reserved for VxRail networking is not supported after the cluster is configured and operational.
• VxRail networks that become resource constrained due to increased workload demands can be migrated to higher-speed Ethernet ports, provided the VxRail cluster is running version 7.0.010 or later.
• Optionally, reserving six ports or eight ports per node for VxRail network traffic is supported. This option is best used for deployments supporting very demanding and network-intense workloads.

• Custom Ethernet port configurations are supported with restrictions:

• Before VxRail version 7.0.130, all the Ethernet ports on the VxRail nodes selected for a VxRail cluster must be the same port type and run at the same speed.
• Starting with VxRail version 7.0.130, the ports on the NDC/OCP and PCIe adapter cards configured in the VxRail nodes can be running at different speeds. For instance, the NDC/OCP ports can run at 10 GbE and the ports on the PCIe adapter cards can run at 25 GbE.
• Any ports assigned to the same VxRail network, whether based on NDC/OCP or PCIe, must be running at the same speed. For instance, a VxRail network cannot be paired with one port running at 10 GbE and another port running at 25 GbE.
• Individual VxRail networks can be assigned to Ethernet ports running at different speeds. For instance, one VxRail network can be assigned to ports running at 100 GbE, while another VxRail network can be assigned to ports running at 10 GbE.
• Mixing Ethernet port types, such as RJ45 and SFP+, to support VxRail cluster network operations is not restricted, but is not recommended. Mixing different Ethernet port types invites complexity regarding firmware, drivers, and cabling with the data center network.

Figure 17.    Mixing network speeds and types to support VxRail networking