1. Create a vSphere Distributed Switch (vDS): First, log in to your vSphere Web Client and select the datacenter where you want to create your vDS. Then, right-click on the datacenter and click “New Distributed Switch”. Follow the wizard steps to configure your vDS settings, including its name, version, and number of uplinks.
1. Configure uplinks: You must configure at least one uplink for your vDS so that virtual machines can connect to external networks. To do this, right-click on the vDS and select ‘Manage Hosts’. Then, select a host and go to the ‘Configure’ tab. Click ‘Add Uplinks’ and configure your physical network adapters.
1. Create port groups: Port groups are logical networks assigned to a vDS. You can create multiple port groups on a single vDS to isolate network traffic between virtual machines. To create a port group, right-click on the vDS and select “New Port Group”. Follow the steps to configure the port group settings.
1. Add virtual machines to port groups: Once you have created the port groups, you can add virtual machines to the port groups. To do this, go to the virtual machine settings and select the network adapter you want to connect to the vDS. Then, select the appropriate port group.
1. Monitor and manage vDS: You can use vSphere Web Client or the vSphere Distributed Switch UI to monitor and manage your vDS. You can view network statistics, configure network security policies, and manage ports and port groups.