VMware ESXi and vSphere Cluster Management

Create a Standard vSwitch in VMware ESXi

Learn how to create an ESXi standard vSwitch in vCenter, assign a physical uplink, configure a VM port group and VLAN, and verify connectivity.

A VMware ESXi standard switch, commonly called a vSwitch, is a virtual switch that exists on one ESXi host. It connects virtual machines and host services to physical network adapters. This lesson shows how to create a standard switch in vCenter Server with the vSphere Web Client, assign a physical uplink, and create its default virtual machine port group.

A standard switch is host-local. Its configuration is not automatically shared with other ESXi hosts. If virtual machines may run on multiple hosts, configure equivalent switches and port groups on each applicable host, or consider a vSphere Distributed Switch for centrally managed networking.

Purpose of an ESXi standard switch

ESXi is a bare-metal hypervisor that runs virtual machines and provides host networking. A standard switch provides the virtual switching layer on an individual ESXi host.

These components have different purposes. A VM connects to a port group, not directly to a vSwitch. The port group connects to the vSwitch, and the vSwitch uses one or more physical NICs as uplinks. The physical NIC then connects to a physical switch port.

Default networking created during ESXi installation

ESXi commonly creates vSwitch0 during installation. Typical default port groups include:

• VM Network: a common default port group for virtual machine traffic.
• Management Network: a port group commonly used for ESXi host management connectivity.

These defaults are not guaranteed. A customized installation, an installation profile, or previous administration may use different names, uplinks, VLAN IDs, or switch arrangements. Review the host's existing virtual switches, port groups, VMkernel adapters, and physical NIC assignments before adding or changing anything.

Plan the new standard switch

Decide what traffic the new network will carry before opening the wizard. Possible purposes include a separate virtual machine network, a storage network, a vMotion network, or an isolated test workload network. A VMkernel adapter is normally used for host services such as management, vMotion, and storage; the workflow in this lesson is specifically for a virtual machine port group.

Pre-change validation

• Identify the traffic purpose and required network or VLAN.
• Identify an available physical NIC, such as vmnic1, and check its link status.
• Confirm which physical switch port the NIC reaches.
• Confirm that the physical switch and upstream network carry the required VLAN.
• Ensure the adapter is not already needed by management, storage, vMotion, another switch, or another critical service.
• Record the intended vSwitch name, port-group label, VLAN ID, and uplink design.
• For a multi-host environment, plan matching port-group labels and VLAN settings on every host that may run the workload.

Open host networking in vCenter

1. Log in to vCenter Server with an account authorized to modify host networking.
2. Open Hosts and Clusters in the vSphere Web Client.
3. Select the target ESXi host.
4. Open the host's Manage area.
5. Open Networking.
6. Start the Add Networking workflow.

Interface labels can vary slightly by vSphere version, but the workflow remains based on selecting the host, opening its networking settings, and adding a network connection.

Choose the standard-switch connection type

In the Add Networking wizard, select Virtual Machine Port Group for a Standard Switch. This choice creates a standard switch and a port group intended for virtual machine connectivity.

Do not select a VMkernel adapter workflow when the goal is a VM network. VMkernel adapters provide host services such as management, vMotion, or storage. A physical NIC assignment-only operation changes uplinks without necessarily creating the required VM port group. A distributed switch workflow belongs to a different, centrally managed switch architecture.

Create the new standard switch

1. Select New standard switch.
2. Review the proposed switch configuration before continuing.
3. Use a meaningful switch name if the interface provides a naming field. If it does not, rename the switch after creation where supported.
4. Choose the physical adapter that will provide the uplink.

A descriptive name can identify the switch's purpose, such as a workload or isolated-network function. Naming the switch is useful for administration, but the port-group label is the setting virtual machines use when selecting their network.

Assign a physical network adapter

Use the assigned-adapters control to select an available physical NIC. Move the intended adapter from Unused adapters to Active adapters. The adapter becomes a physical uplink for the new standard switch.

Check the adapter's identity, link status, speed, and intended physical-switch connection. Selecting the wrong NIC can send traffic to the wrong network or leave the port group without connectivity.

Active, standby, and unused adapters

A single-uplink switch has no uplink redundancy. That may be acceptable for an isolated test network, but it should be evaluated against availability requirements. If hardware and physical network design permit, add a second suitable NIC and assign it as active or standby according to the required policy.

Create and name the default port group

Provide a network label for the port group created on the new switch. Use a clear purpose-based label, such as Production-VMs, Isolated-Test, or Storage-VM-Network, according to the design.

Virtual machines connect to this port group through their virtual network adapters. They do not select the vSwitch directly. When workloads may move between hosts, use the same port-group label on each applicable host so placement and migration workflows can locate the expected logical network.

Configure the VLAN ID

A VLAN ID identifies the IEEE 802.1Q VLAN associated with traffic from the port group. Set the value required by the physical network design.

• VLAN ID 0 or the default setting: represents untagged traffic behavior in the ESXi port-group context.
• Nonzero VLAN ID: causes traffic from that port group to be associated with the specified VLAN tag.

The ESXi port-group setting, physical switch port configuration, and upstream network must agree. Depending on the design, the physical switch port may be configured as an access port for one network or as a trunk that permits the required VLANs. Confirm the intended configuration with the network team rather than assuming that every switch port should be a trunk.

Finish and verify the configuration

1. Review the switch, uplink, port-group label, and VLAN settings in the wizard summary.
2. Finish the Add Networking wizard.
3. In the host's virtual-switch view, confirm that the new standard switch appears.
4. Verify that the expected physical NIC is associated with the switch and is active.
5. Confirm that the port group exists with the correct label and VLAN ID.
6. When appropriate, attach a test virtual machine to the new port group and test connectivity.

Testing should cover the expected network path, such as DHCP, gateway reachability, DNS, or application connectivity. Use a test VM only when doing so is appropriate for the network and does not risk exposing an isolated or sensitive workload.

Practical examples

Dedicated virtual machine network

1. Create a new standard vSwitch on the ESXi host.
2. Move an unused physical NIC to Active adapters.
3. Create a port group named Production-VMs.
4. Set its VLAN ID to the production VLAN carried by the connected physical switch port.
5. Attach applicable virtual machines to Production-VMs.

Consistent network across multiple hosts

1. Create an equivalent standard switch on every host that may run the workload.
2. Use the same port-group label and VLAN ID on all those hosts.
3. Connect each host's selected uplink to physical switching that carries the same VLAN.
4. Validate the network after migrating or placing a test VM on another configured host.

Single-uplink isolated test network

1. Create a standard switch with one unused NIC in Active adapters.
2. Create a test port group with the required VLAN or default untagged behavior.
3. Document that failure of the sole uplink disconnects the test network.
4. Use this design only when the lack of uplink redundancy is acceptable.

Operational considerations for multiple hosts

Standard switches are not centrally shared in the way a vSphere Distributed Switch is. Each ESXi host maintains its own standard-switch configuration. Apply an equivalent design to every relevant host, including the appropriate physical NIC, port group, VLAN ID, and physical-switch connectivity.

Matching labels alone do not guarantee connectivity. The VLAN and physical uplink path must also be correct on every host.

Troubleshooting

Port group exists, but virtual machines have no connectivity

• Verify that the intended physical NIC is the vSwitch uplink.
• Check that the NIC has link and is connected to the correct physical switch port.
• Confirm the port-group VLAN ID.
• Validate that the physical switch port allows the required VLAN.
• Confirm that the VM's virtual NIC is connected and attached to the intended port group.

The desired physical NIC is unavailable

• Review existing virtual switches and their assigned uplinks; the adapter may already belong to another switch.
• Check whether the NIC is reserved by management, storage, vMotion, or another critical network design.
• Inspect the host's physical adapter inventory, driver state, and link status.
• Do not remove an adapter from a critical network without a tested migration plan.

A VM loses connectivity after moving to another host

• Check whether the destination host has a port group with the expected label.
• Compare the VLAN ID on the source and destination port groups.
• Verify that the destination host's uplink reaches a physical switch port carrying the required VLAN.
• Create matching standard-switch and port-group configurations where necessary.

There is no network redundancy

• Confirm whether only one physical NIC is assigned as an active uplink.
• Check whether a suitable standby adapter is configured.
• Add a second NIC if hardware and physical switching support it.
• Assign active or standby roles according to the failover policy and validate the design without disrupting production traffic.

Exam-relevant notes

• A standard vSwitch is local to one ESXi host; it is not automatically shared across hosts.
• Virtual machines connect to port groups, while port groups connect to vSwitches.
• An uplink is a physical NIC assigned to a vSwitch.
• Active uplinks carry normal traffic, standby uplinks provide failover, and unused adapters are not available to the switch.
• VLAN configuration must align across the ESXi port group, physical switch port, and upstream network.
• For workloads that may move between hosts, matching port-group labels and VLAN IDs are necessary, along with matching physical network availability.

For related host networking tasks, see Create a virtual switch and VMkernel port group for vMotion. To review broader ESXi administration concepts, visit the VMware ESXi online course.