MikroTik

Hello Forum,

I am switching from using RouterBoard Cloud Hardware to using x86 vROS on a Virtual Machine Workstation 12 installed on a Dell R720 Server Running Windows 10 PRO.

On this vROS , I have 4 Interfaces (ether1, ether2, ether3 and ether4), each one is assigned to a specific hardware GE interface on the Dell R720 Server, so I am using 4 GE interfaces on the Server (GE1, GE2, GE3 and GE4).

This vROS , is acting as a GW for many VLANs, providing DHCP leases for each one of them plus doing other jobs like Inter-VLAN routing, PPPoE, FW.

ether1: VLANs 1000, 1010, 1020, 1030, 1040 ---------- GE1
ether2: VLANs 1100, 1110, 1120, 1130, 1140 ---------- GE2
ether3: VLANs 1200, 1210, 1220, 1230, 1240 ---------- GE3
ether4: VLANs 1300, 1310, 1320, 1330, 1340 ---------- GE4

Each port will be connected to a TRUNK ports on Cisco Switches:

GE1 ---------- SW1 - GE0/1(Trunk)
GE2 ---------- SW2 - GE0/1(Trunk)
GE3 ---------- SW3 - GE0/1(Trunk)
GE4 ---------- SW4 - GE0/1(Trunk)

Other ports in each switch will be normal switchports and will be assigned to VLANs correspond to what is configured on the vROS interfaces.

What do you suggest to approach that solution. Does VMWare (Running inside Windows 10 PRO) support TRUNK interfaces? and How to achieve that?


Appreciate your support and Ideas..
Thanks.
Ammar.

Does VMWare (Running inside Windows 10 PRO) support TRUNK interfaces? and How to achieve that?

VMWare Workstation no. You'd need to use ESXi (vSphere).

I'm I understanding this right that you are switching from CHR to a x86 installation on VMware? May I ask why you are doing this?

Regardless I would suggest you switch to ESX instead. If my memory serves me right it's free if you do not plan to use vCenter.
If you are using CHR you can use Hyper-V as Hyper-V server is free but without GUI. I use this myself. On Hyper-V you can use trunk mode on Hyper-V switches. Should work better on a server aswell. I would not recommend using Windows 10 Pro on a server.
If you plan to use Hyper-V server (it's free) it's recommended that you know a but about Powershell.
https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/evalcen ... erver-2016

Download of ESXi free (unsure if this does trunk or not as I have never used it myself)
https://www.vmware.com/se/products/vsph ... visor.html

If you plan to use x86 version and not CHR then VMware is you only bet.

Download of ESXi free (unsure if this does trunk or not as I have never used it myself)

It does. Just create a port group on a vSwitch with vlan id=4095, that's ESX's trunk mode.
Having it in production over here in a couple of clusters working like a charm.
-Chris

Hello All,

Thank you guys for you time for stopping by an sharing you ideas. I will try to install ESXi on the Dell server and work on installing x86 on top of it. Will keep posting here as I progress in in achieving my goal.

Thanks again,
Ammar..

I think you are limited to E1000 cards if you use x86 but if you use CHR you can use vxmnet3 which will give more performance.
In your case you test both if you use a hypervisor:)

I think you are limited to E1000 cards if you use x86 but if you use CHR you can use vxmnet3 which will give more performance.

That's also true yes. x86 does not support vxmnet3, so no 10G.

That's also true yes. x86 does not support vxmnet3, so no 10G.

Isn't E1000 cards emulated as well so for that reason more CPU bound even at 1 Gbit?