The document discusses Vmware distributed virtual switches (VDS) and compares them to standard virtual switches. A VDS simplifies network management across multiple ESX hosts by allowing a single switch to be assigned to multiple hosts, whereas a standard virtual switch can only be assigned to one host. A VDS has additional features like network I/O control, port mirroring, and private VLANs. It has two components - a management plane that integrates with vCenter for configuration, and an I/O plane made up of hidden virtual switches on each ESX host to handle data flow. The main requirement for using a VDS is Enterprise Plus licensing.

2. Agenda

Vmware Distributed vSwitch

Required to use the Vds

Difference between vswitch and distributed switch

3. Vsphere Distributed Switch

Vsphere Distributed Switch (vDS) or DvSwitches is the second type of
vSwitch included with vSphere, where the first one is vStandard switch

Simplify the network management of multiple ESX or ESXi hosts.

DvSwitches provide the same features and functions as do vSwitches,
but with one major difference while a standard virtual switch can’t be
assigned to more than one host server at a time, a DvSwitch can.

Easier administration for medium and larger environments

5. Features that standard vswitch cannot

Network I/O Control

Port Mirroring

Net flow

Private vLANs

6. 
The dvSwitch architecture has two main components
1. Management or control plane – Integrating into vCenter
2. I/O or Data plane – Made up of hidden vSwitches on each
vsphere host

7. 
The Control plane is responsible for all configuration
and management

The I/O plane handles data flow in and out of each
vSphere host

8. Required to use the Vds?

The primary requirement is Enterprise Plus licensing
- vMware is really pushing new features into the enterprise
plus feature set

There are no special hardware requirements
- any physical switching will work
- No special network card configuration

9. Difference between vSwitch and distributed switch