f5 Initial network configuration

Hi vmwaretrain,

make sure to have at least 3 network interfaces assigned to your VE guest machine.

Here is an excerpt from my .vmx file:

ethernet0.present = "TRUE"
ethernet0.vnet = "VMnet0"
ethernet0.connectionType = "custom"
ethernet0.virtualDev = "vmxnet3"
ethernet0.wakeOnPcktRcv = "FALSE"
ethernet0.addressType = "static"
ethernet0.address = "02:F5:F5:AC:01:01"
ethernet1.present = "TRUE"
ethernet1.vnet = "VMnet1"
ethernet1.connectionType = "custom"
ethernet1.virtualDev = "vmxnet3"
ethernet1.wakeOnPcktRcv = "FALSE"
ethernet1.addressType = "static"
ethernet1.address = "02:F5:F5:AC:01:02"
ethernet2.present = "TRUE"
ethernet2.vnet = "VMnet3"
ethernet2.connectionType = "custom"
ethernet2.virtualDev = "vmxnet3"
ethernet2.wakeOnPcktRcv = "FALSE"
ethernet2.addressType = "static"
ethernet2.address = "02:F5:F5:AC:01:03"

Ethernet0 will automatically be used for the management interface.

You can use the VMware console to modify the management IP via the command line tool "

config

" or via tmsh using "

tmsh modify sys management-ip

" / "

tmsh modify sys management-route

" syntax.

Ethernet1 and ethernet2 will be associated with the interfaces 1.1 and 1.2 of your virtual appliance.

Running "tmsh show net interface" will report them as "unitialized" as long as you are not assigning them to VLANs.

VLAN assignment and association with Self IP addresses can be done by tmsh as well (i.e.):

tmsh create net vlan vlan_test interfaces add { 1.2 } tag 102 

Self address configuration via tmsh (i.e.):

tmsh create net self self_test address 10.100.10.102/24 vlan vlan_test allow-service none

Afterwards it will be necessary to save to startup config (required for changes via tmsh only):

tmsh save sys config  

If you have matching configurations on the virtual interfaces of your hypervisor or second LTM VE you should be able to establish communication between systems.

Please note, that I activated port lockdown for the self IPs as it is best practice for interfaces in production networks. If you want to use interfaces for administrative purposes or inband management you would modify the parameter i.e. as follows "

allow-service default

".

Thanks, Stephan