Compute network types

In the compute cluster, you can create and manage two types of networks: virtual and physical.

Virtual networks

Virtual networks are VXLAN-based overlay networks that can be used for intercommunication between virtual machines (VMs). Each virtual network is isolated from other virtual networks, as well as physical networks.

Physical networks

Physical networks use IP address ranges of public infrastructure networks. Such networks can be used to provide Internet access to VMs.

If you plan to use a large number of VLAN-based networks for virtual machines, you can benefit from the automated procedure of VLAN-based network creation. When you create a VLAN-based network in the compute cluster, the system automatically creates an associated infrastructure network and configures VLAN network interfaces on all of the compute nodes via the distributed virtual switch.

Limitations

• For VLAN-based networks, the corresponding VLAN IDs must be configured on the physical switches connected to the compute nodes.

To use the automated VLAN-based network creation

Consider the following cases:

• If your trunk network interfaces have a virtual switch (their names have the format br-<interface>), you can proceed to creating VLAN-based networks in the compute cluster.
• If your trunk network interfaces have neither VLANs nor virtual switch configured, assign the VM public traffic type to the infrastructure network connected to those trunk interfaces. The virtual switch will be configured automatically on the trunk network interfaces after creating a VLAN-based network.
• If you have existing VLANs but no virtual switch configured on the trunk network interfaces, convert the trunk interface configuration to the virtual switch one, first. To do this, use the vinfra cluster network conversion commands (refer to "vinfra cluster network conversion precheck" in the Administrator Command Line Guide). During the conversion you may experience connection timeouts. When the conversion is complete, you will be able to create more VLANs on the trunk network interfaces by using the simplified procedure.

To create VLANs separately on each node

If your network configuration includes only a few VLAN-based networks, you can create VLAN network interfaces separately on each compute node, as described in Creating VLAN interfaces.