Mastering VMware vSphere™ 4

5.3. Working with vNetwork Distributed Switches

So far our discussion has focused solely on vNetwork Standard Switches (just vSwitches). With the release of ESX/ESXi 4.0 and the vSphere product suite, there is now a new option: vNetwork Distributed Switches.

Whereas vSwitches are managed per host, a vNetwork Distributed Switch functions as a single virtual switch across all the associated ESX/ESXi hosts. There are a number of similarities between a vNetwork Distributed Switch and a standard vSwitch:

• Like a vSwitch, a vNetwork Distributed Switch provides connectivity for virtual machines, Service Console or Management traffic, and VMkernel interfaces.

• Like a vSwitch, a vNetwork Distributed Switch leverages physical network adapters as uplinks ...