Using network system pools

Users with large networks can use network system pools to effectively manage virtualized workloads across the network. By using network systems pools with logical network profiles, you can partition and provision your network into separate logical networks. The network system pool functions will automatically provision both the physical and virtual switch devices to ensure connectivity between the devices, and will also provide status when connectivity is broken or can not be fulfilled.

Network system pools simplify and automate network configuration tasks for virtual servers. You can manage the network connections of the pooled network systems to ensure network connectivity across a set of network switches. Use network system pools to ensure day-to-day virtual server connectivity for the following tasks:

Automatic network port configuration (VLANs)
Automatic MAC address migration
Automatic Layer 2 profile migration (VLANs)

Restrictions:

MAC addresses within a network system pool must be unique.
Link aggregated ports are not supported in a network systems pools environment because of limited Link Aggregation (LAG) VLAN deployment support.

Note: Network system pools manage Layer 2 network configuration. However, additional Layer 3 IP configuration might be required after VM deployment or migration.

Network system pools, combined with logical networks and server system pools, provide flexibility and control over how network resources are used. As an administrator, you can:

Define larger network system pools to allow more efficient use of network resources
Define logical networks within a network system pool for shaping and isolation purposes.
Define a server system pool with some or all of the servers managed by a network system pool

To achieve full mobility, server system pools need to utilize both network system pools and shared storage. You can create multiple server system pools that rely on the same network system pool. A server system pool can be associated with a network system pool when you create a server system pool. This provides physical network connectivity between all resources in the server system pool and ensures workload and virtual server relocation across any resource in the server system pool. Logical networks within the network system pool define the logical connectivity between the systems; only systems on the same logical networks can connect to each other. Before creating associated server system pools, the network system pool must exist and define the scope of the desired physical network mobility domain.

The following images shows four legitimate configurations of server system pools existing with network system pools.

A server system pool is completely contained within a network system pool
A server system pool has at least two host servers in at least two different network system pools.
A server system pool has at least two host servers in a network system pool and at least one host outside of any network system pool.
A server system pool has no servers in any network system pool.

Figure 1. Server system pools coexisting with network system pools