Packet Interface; Communication Between Vsm And Vmware Vcenter; Cisco Nexus 1000V Series Vmware Vcenter Server Extension - Cisco Nexus 1000V Series Deployment Manual

Packet Interface

The packet interface is a Layer 2 interface that is used to carry network packets that need to be coordinated across
the entire Cisco Nexus 1000V Series Switch. This interface is used for only two type of control traffic: Cisco Discovery
Protocol and Internet Group Management Protocol (IGMP) control packets.
The packet interface is always the third interface on the VSM and is usually labeled "Network Adapter 3" in the virtual
machine network properties.

Communication Between VSM and VMware vCenter

The VSM maintains a link to VMware vCenter Server that is used to maintain the definition of the Cisco Nexus 1000V
Series within VMware vCenter Server as well as propagate port profiles.
The server and network administrators both have roles in establishing the link between the Cisco Nexus 1000V
Series and VMware vCenter Server. First, the server administrator installs the Cisco Nexus 1000V Series VMware
vCenter Server plug-in (described later in this document). After the plug-in is installed, the network administrator can
define the svs connection. The svs connection defines the link between the VSM and VMware vCenter Server. The
connection contains the following parameters:
VMware vCenter Server IP address
●
Communication protocol (always VMware VIM over HTTPS)
●
Name of the VMware data center in which the VMware ESX hosts reside
●
After the connection is defined, the network administrator enables the connection, which establishes the link and
creates the instance of the Cisco Nexus 1000V Series within VMware vCenter Server. Each VSM contains a unique
extension key used to bind that specific VSM to VMware vCenter Server.
During the process in creating the Cisco Nexus 1000V Series within VMware vCenter Server, the VSM pushes down
any port profiles that are already defined as well as important information required for VEM installation, called opaque
data. The opaque data provides limited configuration details to the VEM so that it can communicate with the VSM
after installation
The VSM is considered the authoritative container for all configuration information. If the connection between the
VSM and VMware vCenter Server is disrupted, the VSM helps ensure that any configuration changes that have been
made during this period of disrupted communication are propagated to VMware vCenter Server when the link is
restored.
After the connection between the VSM and VMware vCenter Server is established, the link is primarily used to
propagate new port profiles and any changes to existing ones.

Cisco Nexus 1000V Series VMware vCenter Server Extension

VMware vCenter Server is an extensible application that allows third-party management plug-ins, thus enabling
external applications to extend the capabilities of VMware vCenter Server and its companion GUI, VMware vSphere
Client. The Cisco Nexus 1000V Series uses a VMware vCenter Server extension to properly display a representation
of the Cisco Nexus 1000V Series and its main components within VMware vSphere Client.
The Cisco Nexus 1000V Series extension is a small XML file (cisco_nexus_1000v_extension.xml) that is downloaded
from the VSM's management IP address using a web browser. This plug-in must be installed before the VSM can
establish a link to VMware vCenter Server (Figure 3).
© 2009 Cisco Systems, Inc. All rights reserved. This document is Cisco Public Information.
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