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Prerequisite

• Install SR-IOV supported two 10 Gigabit PCI cards.

• Minimum 10 GB RAM.
• VM must be created with four Interfaces:

  • One virtual interface for Management Port

  • One virtual interface for HA Port

  • Two virtual interfaces for SR-IOV Ports

Configuring Virtual Machine Instances

Configuring SR-IOV

Perform the following steps:

1. Log on to VMware ESXi GUI as the root user.

   Caption
   0 Figure 1 VMWare ESXi 6.5

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2. To check the status of the SR-IOV cards:

   1. Navigate to Host > Manage.

   2. Select the tab Hardware.
      Ensure both the SR-IOV cards are in disabled state or the Passthrough must be in disabled state.

      Caption
      0 Figure 1 SR-IOV Cards

3. If the SR-IOV cards are not disabled, they must be disabled by performing following:

   1. Enable SSH. To enable SSH,

      1. Navigate to Host and select the tab Actions.

      2. From the drop-down list, select the option Services. Click Enable Secure Shell (SSH) and Enable console shell.

         Caption
         0 Figure 1 Enable SSH

   2. Check the name of the NIC cards. To check the name of the NIC cards,

      1. Log on to CLI as root.

      2. Execute the following command:

         Code Block
         title Input
         lspci|grep X540

         The following is the sample display output:

         Code Block
         0000:0b:00.0 Network controller: Intel(R) Ethernet Controller X540-AT2 [vmnic8] 0000:0b:00.1 Network controller: Intel(R) Ethernet Controller X540-AT2 [vmnic9]

   3. Open the esx.conf file and find the PCI ID associated with the NIC card.

      1. Change the owner of the PCI ID from passthrough to vmkernel.

      2. Execute the following command:

         Code Block
         vi /etc/vmware/esx.conf

         The following is the sample display output:

         Code Block

         /system/uuid = "5a33649d-c9db-e792-c676-5cb9018acc24" /system/uservars/psa/defaultLunMasksInstalled = "1" /system/uservars/corestorage/Filter/DefaultVMWRulesLoaded = "1" /system/uservars/corestorage/VAAI/DefaultVMWRulesLoaded = "1" /system/uservars/host-acceptance-level = "partner" /resourceGroups/version = "6.5.0" /adv/Misc/HostIPAddr = "10.54.12.81" /adv/Misc/DiskDumpSlotSize = "2560" /adv/Misc/HostName = "hpg9-9" /adv/Net/ManagementIface = "vmk0" /adv/Net/ManagementAddr = "10.54.12.81" /adv/UserMem/UserMemASRandomSeed = "1418738923" /adv/UserVars/HostClientCEIPOptIn = "1" /device/00000:005:00.0/vmkname = "vmhba1" /device/00000:002:00.0/vmkname = "vmnic0" /device/00000:002:00.2/vmkname = "vmnic2" /device/00000:003:00.0/vmkname = "vmhba0" /device/00000:002:00.1/vmkname = "vmnic1" /device/00000:011:00.1/owner = "vmkernel" /device/00000:011:00.1/device = "1528" /device/00000:011:00.1/vendor = "8086" /device/00000:011:00.1/vmkname = "vmnic9" /device/00000:004:00.2/vmkname = "vmnic6" /device/00000:004:00.1/vmkname = "vmnic5" /device/00000:002:00.3/vmkname = "vmnic3" /device/00000:004:00.0/vmkname = "vmnic4" /device/00000:005:00.1/vmkname = "vmhba2" /device/00000:004:00.3/vmkname = "vmnic7" /device/00000:011:00.0/vmkname = "vmnic8" /device/00000:011:00.0/vendor = "8086" /device/00000:011:00.0/device = "1528" /device/00000:011:00.0/owner = "vmkernel" - /etc/vmware/esx.conf 33/499 6%

   4. Save the file.

   5. Reboot the host.

4. In the VMware ESXi GUI, navigate to Host > Manage.

5. Select the Hardware tab.

6. From the PCI Devices, select the SR-IOV card.

   Caption
   0 Figure 1 Selecting the SR-IOV Card

7. Click Configure SR-IOV.

   The window to configure the SR-IOV card is displayed.

8. For the option Enabled, select Yes and set the number of virtual functions.

   Caption
   0 Figure 1 Configuring the SR-IOV Card

9. Click Save.

10. Configure the other SR-IOV card. Repeat the steps from 4 to 6.

11. Reboot the host by clicking Reboot host.

    Caption
    0 Figure 1 Reboot Host

    
    The following warning message is displayed.

    Caption
    0 Figure 1 Warning Message

12. Click Reboot.

    The VMware ESXi login window is displayed with the message "The host is rebooting...".

    Caption
    0 Figure 1 The VMWare ESXI Login Window Displaying the Message

13. Once the virtual function is created, the SR-IOV cards and the Passthrough for the virtual functions display the status as "Active".

    Caption
    0 Figure 1 SR-IOV Cards and Virtual Function Status

Creating a vSwitch

Creating a Management vSwitch

Perform the following steps:

1. Navigate to Networking. From the Port group tab, click the Add port group.
   The Add port group window is displayed.

   Caption
   0 Figure 1 Adding the MGMT Port Group

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   The following table describes the Add port group fields.

   Caption
   0 Table 1 Add Port Group Fields
   Field Example or Recommendation Name VMNetwork VLAN ID 0 Virtual switch vSwitch0 Security Select Inherit from vSwitch

2. Click Add.

Creating an HA vSwitch

Perform the following steps:

1. Navigate to Networking. From the Port group tab, click the Add port group.
   The Add port group window is displayed.

   Caption
   0 Figure 1 Adding the HA Port Group

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   The following table describes the Add port group fields.

   Caption
   0 Table 1 Add Port Group Fields
   Field Example or Recommendation Name HANetwork VLAN ID 0 Virtual switch vSwitch1 Security Select Inherit from vSwitch

2. Click Add.

Creating the Virtual Machine

Perform the following steps:

1. Navigate to Virtual Machines. Click Create / Register VM to create or register a virtual machine. The Select creation type option is displayed.

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   0 Figure 1 Create or Register a Vrtual Machine

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2. Select the option Create a new virtual machine.

3. Click Next.

   The Select a name and guest OS option is displayed.

   Caption
   0 Figure 1 Select a Name and Guest OS

   
   The following table describes the Select a name and guest OS fields.

   Caption
   0 Table 1 Select a Name and Guest OS Fields
   Field Example or Recommendation Name Name of the virtual machine. For example, VM. Compatibility ESXi 6.5 virtual machine Guest OS family Linux Guest OS version Debian GNULinux 8 (64-bit)

4. Click Next.

   The Select storage option is displayed.

5. Select datastore1.

   Info
   title Note
   Ensure that the datastore has minimum 500 GB or more space. This datastore is required to store all log-related data files.

   Caption
   0 Figure 1 Select Storage

6. Click Next.
   The Customize settings option is displayed.

7. Configure virtual hardware from Customize settings:

   1. Setting CPU

      When configuring virtual CPUs within the vSphere Web Client, you can configure:

      • The total number of vCPUs for the virtual machine
      • The total number of cores per socket

      The following table provides the examples of socket determination based on the CPU and Cores per Socket within the vSphere Web Client:

      Caption
      0 Table 1 Number of Sockets Determined by the vSphere Web Client
      Total Number of virtual CPUs (CPU) Cores per Socket Number of Sockets Determined by the vSphere Web Client 4 4 1 4 2 2 4 1 4 8 8 1 8 2 4 8 4 2 8 1 8

      Info
      title Note
      A minimum of 4 vCPUs is required. Any number of vCPUs may be configured depending upon the call capacity requirements, but the number should be even (4, 6, 8, etc.) to avoid impacting performance.

      Caption
      0 Figure 1 Setting CPU

      
      The following table describes the CPU fields.

      Caption
      0 Table 1 Customize Settings-CPU
      Fields Example or Recommendation CPU 10 Number of Virtual sockets 1 Number of cores per virtual socket 10 CPU Reservation 25850 MHz Limit Unlimited Shares Normal Hardware virtualization None Performance counters None Scheduling Affinity None

   2. Setting Memory

      Caption
      0 Figure 1 Setting Memory

      
      The following table describes the Memory fields.

      Caption
      0 Table 1 Customize Settings-Memory
      Fields Examples or Recommendation Memory 20480 MB. Note: It is recommended to use more than 20 GB memory. Reservation Select the option Reserve all guest memory (All locked) Limit Unlimited Shares Normal Memory Hot Plug None

   3. Setting Hard disk 1

      Caption
      0 Figure 1 Setting Hard disk 1

      
      The following table describes the Hard disk 1 fields.

      Caption
      0 Table 1 Customize Settings - Hard disk 1
      Fields Examples or Recommendation Hard disk 1 200 GB Maximum Size 1.43 TB Location datastore1 Disk Provisioning Select Thick provisioned, lazily zeroed Shares Normal Limit-IOPs Unlimited Virtual Device Node SCSI controller 0 and SCSI (0:0) Disk mode Dependent Sharing None

   4. Setting SCSI Controller

      Caption
      0 Figure 1 Setting SCSI Controller

      
      The following table describes the SCSI Controller fields.

      Caption
      0 Table 1 Customize Settings - SCSI Controller
      Fields Examples or Recommendation SCSI Controller Select LSI Logic Parallel from the drop-down list SCSI Bus Sharing None SATA Controller 0 N/A USB controller 1 USB 2.0

   5. Setting Network Adapter 1
      The Network Adapter 1 is used for provisioning MGMT ports.

      Caption
      0 Figure 1 Setting Network Adapter 1

      
      The following table describes the Network Adapter 1 fields.

      Caption
      0 Table 1 Customize Settings - Network Adapter 1
      Fields Examples or Recommendation Network Adapter 1 Select the MGMT ports from the drop-down list. For example, VM Network. Status Select the option Connect at power on. Adapter Type VMXNET3 MAC Address Automatic

      
      Once the Network Adapter 1 is created for MGMT ports, create a new Network Adapter for HA ports.

   6. Select Add network adapter. The option to create New Network Adapter for HA port is displayed.

      Caption
      0 Figure 1 Add Network Adapter

      
      The following table describes the New Network Adapter fields.

      Caption
      0 Table 1 Customize Settings - New Network Adapter
      Fields Examples or Recommendation New Network Adapter Select the HA port from the drop-down list. For example, HA Network. Status Select the option Connect at power on. Adapter Type VMXNET3 MAC Address Automatic

   7.  Click Add other device to continue the configuration on PKT0 and PKT1.

      Caption
      0 Figure 1 Add Other Device

   8. Select the option PCI device from the drop-down list.

      Caption
      0 Figure 1 Select PCI Device

      
      The New PCI device option is created.

   9. Repeat steps g and h to create one more PCI Device.

      Caption
      0 Figure 1 New PCI device

   10. Click Next. The Ready to complete option is displayed.

       Caption
       0 Figure 1 Ready to Complete

   11. PKT Port NUMA Affinity: To find and modify PKT port NUMA affinity, perform Perform the following steps:

       1. Find the PKT port NUMA affinity by executing the following command on the EXSi host:

          Code Block
          vsish -e get /net/pNics/<PKT port name - vmnicX>/properties | grep "NUMA"

       2. Update VM Numa affinity to be same as NIC NUMA affinity:

          1. Edit Settings -> VM options -> Configuration Parameters -> Add Parameters.

             Caption
             0 Figure 1 Edit Configuration Parameters

          2. Add the following parameters:

             Code Block
             numa.nodeAffinity' = 0 or 1 (based on PKT port NIC affinity) numa.autosize.once = FALSE

             Caption
             0 Figure 1 Add Parameters

   12. Once the review is performed, click Finish. The Virtual Machine is created.

RSS Configuration for VMs using SR-IOV Interfaces

Receive side scaling (RSS) is a mechanism that enables spreading incoming network traffic across multiple CPUs, thus eliminating a potential processing bottleneck. For SR-IOV configurations, the RSS configuration must be updated in the ESXi host as follows:

1. Execute the following command to unload the IXGBE driver:

   Code Block
   esxcfg-module -u ixgbe

2. Execute the following command to verify the driver is unloaded:

   Code Block
   esxcfg-module -l | grep ixg

3. Execute one of the following commands to reload the driver with the required virtual function (VF) and RSS configurations:

   Code Block
   vmkload_mod ixgbe max_vfs=2,2 RSS=4,4

   or

   Code Block
   esxcfg-module -s 'max_vfs=2,2, RSS=4,4' ixgbe

4. Reboot the host to have RSS take effect. This modified configuration is retained after the reboot.

Installing the SBC Application on VMware

Once the VMware instance is created, you must install the SBC application.

Perform the following steps:

1. Select the Virtual Machine where you want to install the SBC application.

2. Click Edit. The Edit Settings window is displayed.

3. Select CD/DVD Drive 1.

   Caption
   0 Figure 1 Edit Settings

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4. The Datastore browser window is displayed. Browse the ISO image file.
   

   Caption
   0 Figure 1 Selecting the OS File

5. Click Select. The following window is displayed.

   Caption
   0 Figure 1 Saving the OS File

6. Click Save.

7. Click Power on to power on the VM.

   Caption
   0 Figure 1 Powering On the VM

8. The SBC Installer window is displayed. Press Enter to boot.

   Caption
   0 Figure 1 SBC Installer Window

9. Once the installation completes, you are prompted to enter the login credentials.

   Caption
   0 Figure 1 Login Information

10. Log on to CLI as linuxadmin. Provide the following IP addresses:

    1. Primary Management IPv4 Address

    2. Primary Management Network Mask

    3. Primary Management Gateway IP Address, you are prompted to use IPv6 address.

    4. Enter n if you do not want to set IPv6

    Caption
    0 Figure 1 Ip Addresses