Prepare ESXi Hosts to Join VMware NSX-T 3.2

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A transport node is a node that is capable of participating in an NSX-T Data Center overlay or NSX-T Data Center VLAN networking. Any node can serve as a transport node if it contains an N-VDS. Such nodes include but are not limited to NSX Edges.

How to Prepare ESXi Hosts

System > Configuration > Fabric > Nodes > Host Transport Nodes

Select the vCenter your ESXi hosts are deployed into from the drop down next to Managed by

Select the cluster you wish to include in NSX-T and select configure NSX

If this is a fresh install I always click Create New Transport Node Profile, otherwise, select an existing TN Profile.

Provide a name.

Deploying in vSphere 7.x select VIRTUAL DISTRIBUTED SWITCH

By default I leave mode as standard unless you have a use case for ENS or Enhanced Datapath

Under name select the vCenter and the VIRTUAL DISTRIBUTED SWITCH you wish to use

Select your TZ – I selected the Prod Overlay from previous blog

Choose an uplink profile

Select IP Pool for TEP Assignment

Choose your pool – created in earlier blog article

Select your uplinks to VIRTUAL DISTRIBUTED SWITCH Uplinks

Map uplinks defined in the selected NSX-T uplink profile with physical NICs. The number of uplinks that are presented for mapping depends on the uplink profile configuration.

For example, in the upink-1 (active) row, go to the Physical NICs column, click the edit icon, and type in the name of physical NIC to complete mapping it with uplink-1 (active). Likewise, complete mapping for the other uplinks.

Add

Apply

Hit refresh to watch the process complete

Summary:

Adding ESXi hosts into the NSX-T environment is one of the easiest things you can do in all of NSX-T.  Very little pre-req work needs to be done.  See previous blogs if you need assistance with the pre-reqs.

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