You will need to download the appropriate VEM bundle that pertains to your ESXi host version.  For example, I am running ESXi version 4.1.0 Release Build 348481.  Once you know what VMware version you are running, verify the VEM bundle contained with the installation package you downloaded off Cisco’s website is compatible using the matrix at http://goo.gl/ZuPJD

I can’t stress it enough, verify your VMware version is compatible with VEM you are planning to run.  Read on to see what I had encountered not verifying compatibility.

Copy the VEM to your ESXi host and initiate the following commands from the guide:

# vihostupdate –install –bundle VEM400-201107401.zip –server 10.1.1.123

Enter username: root
Enter password:

Please wait installation in progress …

The update completed successfully, but the system needs to be rebooted for the changes to be effective.

# vem status -v

Package vssnet-esx5.5.0-00000-release

Version 4.2.1.1.5.1.0-2.0.1

Build 1

Date Mon Jan 30 18:23:42 PST 2012

Number of PassThru NICs are 0

VEM modules are loaded

Switch Name      Num Ports   Used Ports  Configured Ports  MTU     Uplinks

vSwitch0         64          10          64                1500    vmnic5,vmnic0

DVS Name         Num Ports   Used Ports  Configured Ports  MTU     Uplinks

dvLAN_Switch01   256         40          256               1500    vmnic2,vmnic4,vmnic6,vmnic7,vmnic3,vmnic1

Number of PassThru NICs are 0

VEM Agent (vemdpa) is running

# vem version -v

Number of PassThru NICs are 0

Running esx version -348481 x86_64

VEM Version: 4.2.1.1.5.1.0-2.0.1

VSM Version:

System Version: VMware ESXi 4.1.0 Releasebuild-348481

What happens if you don’t verify compatibility prior to the installation?  Look at how my VSM Version is empty.  That’s not good because you should see the output of the VSM.  I checked L2/L3 connectivity and made sure VMware’s firewall was disabled to make sure communication between VEM and VSM could flow.  Ran through a manual uninstall, installed the VEM again, and still had the same issue.  In the end, my VEM was not compatible with ESXi.

Since this version was farely new version, I decided to uninstall both the VEM and VSM running 4.2(1)SV1(5.1) and use a version that I knew was more stable, 4.2(1)SV1(4a).

I ran through the VSM installation outlined in my previous post.  Checked the compatibility of the VEM, copied the bundle over the ESXi, and completed the install:

# vem version -v
Number of PassThru NICs are 0
Running esx version -208167 x86_64
VEM Version: 4.2.1.1.4.1.0-1.9.1
VSM Version: 4.2(1)SV1(4a)
System Version: VMware ESXi 4.1.0 Releasebuild-348481

Communication is now working between the VEM and VSM.

As I was going through the IMC, I had encountered several issues and opted to install manually using the steps below:

-Create 3 x port groups (i.e. control, management, and packet) in vCenter for the VSM

-Create a typical virtual machine: Other Linux (64-bit), 3 GB disk, 2GB memory, 3 x e1000 NICs

-Start VM with nexus-1000v-mx.4.2.1.SV1.5.1.iso and follow the setup prompts; example for Mgmt0: 10.1.1.10

-Install and register the plug-in: https://10.1.1.10, download the cisco_nexus_1000v_extension.xml file, and register the xml under vCenter Manage Plug-ins

-Configure VSM connectivity:

svs connection NK1V-TEST
vmware dvs datacenter-name NAMEOFVCENTER
protocol vmware-vim
remote ip address 10.1.1.123
connect

-Create system uplink profile in VSM:

port-profile type ethernet SYSTEM-UPLINK
switchport mode trunk
switchport trunk allowed vlan 111,222,333,444
system vlan 111,222,333
vmware port-group SYSTEM-UPLINK
no shutdown
state enabled

-Create port profile in VSM:

port-profile type vethernet PORTS
switchport mode access
switchport access vlan 110
vmware max-ports 1024
no shutdown
state enabled

All the steps above would have been handled automatically if IMC worked.  Now that the VSM is operational, the VEM module needs to be installed which I’ll cover in another post.

For more information regarding installing 1000v, you should refer to the guide: http://goo.gl/YceTo

In order to prepare for all the DC requests, I asked for resources outside of reading Cisco Press books and attending training classes.  I’ve just been granted unlimited access to Cisco’s Partner Education Connection and feel like a kid in a candy store.  It’s been almost 15 years since I’ve had technical resources available at my fingertips.  Aside from the training materials offered on the site, I have access to all hardware platforms to conduct POCs, testing, and lab studies.  No more scrounging around on the web looking for free PDFs to read.

Time to wrap up my classes so I can start playing in all these lab environments.

More and more people seem to be passing the new lab without the workbooks and utilizing GNS3 or IOU.  I’m planning on taking a few days off next week to test out my new skis and snowboard as mountains begin to open for the season, so I look forward to completing more videos in the evenings.

After seeing the update, I was more motivated to clear out some time (by completing my papers) so I can review the new content.  Since the weekend I’ve already completed modules 1 through 4.  I ended up watching the “Catalyst ME3400 Switching” video twice.  When I went through the workbook beta, it took me some time to get interfaces recognized to pass traffic and so I wanted a deeper understanding of the switch model.  Now that I know the nuances (e.g. UNI, ENI, and NNI) of the switch, I can continue studying using notepad to familiarize myself with just entering the commands until I can get my hands on rack rentals or real equipment.  Brian actually covers where to locate information within Cisco’s Configuration Guides (which isn’t easy half the time) so you may want to bookmark the URLs for future reference.

Total duration of all the videos is 22 hours.  I plan to watch all the videos by the end of the month.  Once the school semester wraps up in the 1st week of December, I’ll have at least 3 weeks until January to do full scale VOL2 labs, version 2 or version 3 (if they are released by that time).

Following the JUNOS Switching Enablement training book by Proteus Networks, configuring links to be a part of aggregated Ethernet requires 3 steps:

1) Tell the device to create a single aggregated Ethernet interface

root@J6350#set chassis aggregated-devices ethernet device-count 1

Because we told the switch to create only 1 interface, the switch will create ae0 only. In a Cisco switch, the port-channel interface would be created after tying your interfaces to a channel-group.

2) Configure the device to associate physical links with the aggregated Ethernet interface

root@J6350#set interfaces ge-3/0/2 gigether-options 802.3ad ae0

root@J6350#set interfaces ge-3/0/3 gigether-options 802.3ad ae0

The documentation says to use ether-options, but I only had gigether-options available to me.  In a Cisco switch, this is similar to configuring a channel-group on each interface.

3) Configure the aggregated Ethernet interface

root@J6350#set interfaces ae0 unit 0 family ethernet-switching port-mode trunk

root@J6350#set interfaces ae0 aggregated-ether-options lacp active

You have the option to set the port-mode to access or trunk.  Also by default, JUNOS does not run LACP.  After inputting all the commands, I decided to commit the changes and encountered an error:

root@J6350# commit

[edit interfaces ae0 unit 0 family]

‘ethernet-switching’

Family ethernet-switching is not allowed on AE until PIC is in enhanced-switching mode

error: configuration check-out failed

This message may be unique to my J6350 configuration, so check the documentation or KB on Juniper’s site.  If you do exactly what the error tells you, you should be able to proceed with commiting the changes:

root@J6350# set chassis fpc 3 pic 0 ethernet pic-mode enhanced-switching

I had 12 hours to configure all the tasks, but repeatedly had work and school competing for my time so I did my best to configure just the basics for many of the tasks just to get the experience on the CRS-1.  It would’ve been much easier to concentrate if the rack times were spread out over the weekends, but that’s how the program was scheduled.  Not having access to an answer key forces you to look up technology in the DocCD.

The beta was an eye opener so I’m looking forward to the completion of the workbooks.  If I had to guess, the release of the workbooks probably won’t happen until later this year.  I have a few weeks in December and January between school schedules, so hopefully they’ll be released by then and I can have more time to perform practice labs.  Those of you that have access to Version 2 Volume 1 and 2 labs already, you should continue studying because majority of the tasks can still be practiced.  Use notepad if you really want to familiarize yourself with IOS XR or rent rack time to gain the experience.

Here’s a link I plan to read over and lab up in L3IOU: http://goo.gl/3PZlS

My rack time is scheduled for 09/15/2011 9AM PST and 3PM PST.  Hopefully I can produce enough quality feedback and gain some hands-on experience from this exercise.

The company merger has opened my eyes; change can either be a good thing or a bad one.  To break up the monotony of working all the time, I decided to pursue an online Masters degree from Syracuse University.  It’s a distance learning program where I can continue to work in LA and should be able complete all the requirements over a 2 year span.

I have been eagerly waiting for INE to update their SP material all summer.  Looks like the workbook update is now complete and the limited beta program is under way.  I made the request to be a part of the beta program and was approved to take part in the QA process.  I’m hoping the material is spot on and will rekindle my desire to finally complete the SP track.  I’ll know more next week.