Book Image

VMware NSX Cookbook

By : Bayu Wibowo, Tony Sangha
Book Image

VMware NSX Cookbook

By: Bayu Wibowo, Tony Sangha

Overview of this book

This book begins with a brief introduction to VMware's NSX for vSphere Network Virtualization solutions and how to deploy and configure NSX components and features such as Logical Switching, Logical Routing, layer 2 bridging and the Edge Services Gateway. Moving on to security, the book shows you how to enable micro-segmentation through NSX Distributed Firewall and Identity Firewall and how to do service insertion via network and guest introspection. After covering all the feature configurations for single-site deployment, the focus then shifts to multi-site setups using Cross-vCenter NSX. Next, the book covers management, backing up and restoring, upgrading, and monitoring using built-in NSX features such as Flow Monitoring, Traceflow, Application Rule Manager, and Endpoint Monitoring. Towards the end, you will explore how to leverage VMware NSX REST API using various tools from Python to VMware vRealize Orchestrator.

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Table of Contents (19 chapters)
Title Page
Title Page
Packt Upsell
Packt Upsell
Foreword
Foreword
Contributors
Contributors
Preface
Preface
Free Chapter
1
Getting Started with VMware NSX for vSphere
Getting Started with VMware NSX for vSphere
Introduction
Choosing the right VMware NSX for vSphere edition
Selecting ESXi hosts and network adapters
Downloading NSX for vSphere
Deploying the NSX Manager virtual appliance
Replacing the NSX Manager certificate
Registering vCenter server with NSX Manager
Applying the NSX license
Deploying the NSX Controller Cluster
Preparing a vSphere cluster for NSX
Validating NSX VIB installation
2
Configuring VMware NSX Logical Switch Networks
Configuring VMware NSX Logical Switch Networks
Introduction
Configuring VXLAN Networking
Configuring a VXLAN Segment ID
Creating a NSX Transport Zone
Creating a NSX Logical Switch
Connecting a Virtual Machine to an NSX Logical Switch
Testing an NSX Logical Switch
Enabling the Controller Disconnected Operation Mode on a Transport Zone
3
Configuring VMware NSX Logical Routing
Configuring VMware NSX Logical Routing
Introduction
Configuring the Distributed Logical Router
Configuring the Distributed Logical Router for dynamic routing
Deploying and configuring the NSX ESG in HA mode
Understanding and configuring the NSX ESG for routing
4
Configuring VMware NSX Layer 2 Bridging
Configuring VMware NSX Layer 2 Bridging
Introduction
Configuring Software-Based Gateway Layer 2 Bridging
Selecting a hardware VTEP gateway
Integrating Hardware VTEP Gateway with VMware NSX
Extending VMware NSX Logical Switch to Hardware VTEP Gateway
5
Configuring VMware NSX Edge Services Gateway
Configuring VMware NSX Edge Services Gateway
Introduction
Configuring a DNS relay
Configuring a DHCP server
Configuring an Edge Firewall
Configuring Network Address Translation
Configuring Load Balancing
Configuring IPSEC VPN
Configuring SSL VPN
Configuring High Availability
6
Configuring VMware NSX Distributed Firewall (DFW) and SpoofGuard
Configuring VMware NSX Distributed Firewall (DFW) and SpoofGuard
Introduction
Verifying NSX DFW component status
Configuring IP Discovery for Virtual Machines
Working with SpoofGuard
Excluding Virtual Machines from DFW Protection
Configuring DFW Session Timeout
Creating Security Policy Rules from the Firewall Table Menu
Creating Security Policy Rules from the Service Composer menu
Verifying DFW rules
Leveraging the DFW Applied To field
Deploying Network or Guest Introspection Services
Configuring the Identity Firewall
7
Configuring Cross-vCenter NSX
Configuring Cross-vCenter NSX
Introduction
Configuring Primary and Secondary NSX Manager(s)
Creating a Universal Transport Zone and adding a vSphere cluster to the Universal Transport Zone
Creating a Universal Logical Switch
Creating a Universal Logical Router
Adding a VM to a Universal Logical Switch
Understanding and configuring the Universal Distributed Firewall
8
Backing up and Restoring VMware NSX Components
Backing up and Restoring VMware NSX Components
Introduction
Backing up NSX Manager
Restoring NSX Manager
Restoring NSX Controller Nodes
Restoring a Logical Switch Backing Port Group
Restoring NSX Edge
Exporting NSX DFW Rules configuration from the Firewall Menu
Restoring NSX DFW Rules configuration from the Firewall Menu
Exporting NSX Security Policy from the Service Composer Menu
Restoring NSX Security Policy from the Service Composer Menu
9
Managing User Accounts in VMware NSX
Managing User Accounts in VMware NSX
Introduction
Creating a service user account for vCenter server registration
Granting access to NSX
Creating and Managing CLI user accounts in NSX manager
10
Upgrading VMware NSX
Upgrading VMware NSX
Introduction
Preparing for VMware NSX upgrade
Verifying VMware NSX working state
Upgrading VMware NSX Manager
Upgrading NSX controller node
Upgrading VMware NSX Host Clusters
Upgrading VMware NSX Edge
Upgrading Network and Security Service Deployments
11
Managing and Monitoring VMware NSX Platform
Managing and Monitoring VMware NSX Platform
Introduction
Monitoring NSX using NSX Dashboard
Configuring the NSX Components Syslog
Configuring and viewing the NSX Distributed Firewall Log
Configuring vRealize Log Insight for NSX
Enabling NSX Flow Monitoring
Using Application Rule Manager
Using NSX Endpoint Monitoring
12
Leveraging the VMware NSX REST API for Management and Automation
Leveraging the VMware NSX REST API for Management and Automation
Introduction
Using the REST API with the Postman REST client
Using the REST API with cURL
Using the REST API with PowerShell
Using the REST API with Python
Using the vRealize Orchestrator plugin for NSX
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Index
Index

Downloading NSX for vSphere

In this recipe, we will download the installation media for NSX for vSphere. The installation media comes in the form of an open virtual application (OVA) that is distributed through the VMware downloads site (https://my.vmware.com/web/vmware/downloads).

Getting ready

To download NSX for vSphere, the following prerequisites must be satisfied:

  • Valid VMware software entitlements that enable you to download the installation media
  • Access to the VMware downloads website
  • Access to VMware software manager. Download and install VMware software manager first (https://www.vmware.com/go/download-software-manager-en)
  • VMware product interoperability matrix has been consulted so you know which version is compatible with your environment

Note

Where can I download VMware NSX for vShield endpoint?vSphere Essential Plus and later editions come with vShield endpoint. VMware NSX will appear on the vSphere download site similar to vCNS (vCloud Networking and Security).

How to do it...

The following sections will explain how to check that your infrastructure supports the version of NSX you are implementing and how to obtain the download media.

Checking the Product Interoperability Matrix

In this section, we will check to make sure the version of NSX we are deploying is compatible with the other VMware solutions in our environment.

  1. Navigate your web browser to the VMware product interoperability matrix webpage (http://www.vmware.com/go/interop)
  2. Select your vSphere solution as the first solution
  3. Add VMware NSX for vSphere as your second solution
  1. Add any other solutions that are specific to your environment
  2. Ensure all solution versions are compatible with one another before proceeding to download the NSX installation media

The following screenshot shows the official VMware product interoperability matrices that should be referenced before downloading NSX for vSphere:

Downloading media via the VMware downloads website

In this section we will download the installation media from the VMware downloads website as follows:

  1. From your web browser, navigate to the VMware downloads website (https://my.vmware.com/web/vmware/downloads).
  2. Scroll down to the Networking & Security menu item and click on Download Product
  1. Click on go to Downloads against your licensed tier for VMware NSX for vSphere 6.3.1 or whichever version is compatible with your environment
  2. Click on Download Now

Note

Once you have downloaded the NSX for vSphere OVA, it is best practice to verify the file against the checksum listed to ensure that the downloaded file is an identical copy of the source.

Downloading media via the VMware Software Manager

In this section, we will download the VMware NSX installation media using the VMware Software Manager, in contrast to a manual download via the downloads website:

  1. Open the VMware Download Service application:

  1. Click on the VMware vSphere software suite
  2. Select VMware vSphere 6.5
  3. Select the licensing tier of your vSphere environment
  4. On the VMware NSX for vSphere menu pane, select the download button:

See also

To make sure that your vSphere and NSX version is supported by VMware, check the VMware life cycle product matrix (http://www.vmware.com/go/lifecycle). This list contains a list of unsupported products as well.

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