1. What are the three different ways to determine how VLANs are controlled in virtual switch configuration?
The three modes of VLAN control in virtual switch configuration are determined by where the tags are applied. They can be applied within the VMkernel, at the guest operating system layer, or by the external physical switch.
VLAN Control Modes in Virtual Switch Configuration
VGT Mode:
In VGT mode, VLAN tags are applied inside the VMkernel. This mode allows for VLAN tags to be kept within the network packets and controlled at the hypervisor level. It provides the highest level of packet preservation and detail.
Guest OS Layer Mode:
The second mode involves VLAN control at the guest operating system layer. Also known as Virtual Guest Tagging (VGT) model, VLAN identification and tagging are handled within the individual virtual machines.
External Physical Switch Mode:
The third mode of VLAN control is External Switch Tagging (EST), where VLAN tagging is done by the external physical switch. In this mode, the ESX/ESXi host only sees untagged packets.
In conclusion, understanding the different modes of VLAN control in virtual switch configuration is essential for effective network management and segmentation. Depending on the specific requirements of a network environment, choosing the appropriate VLAN control mode can improve network performance and security.