VNET Overview

A virtual network (VNET) in ThinkAgile CP enables application instances to migrate seamlessly among compute nodes without changing networking configurations.

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ThinkAgile CP Virtual Network (VNET) Setup

When you create a VNET, the ThinkAgile CP Cloud Controller management console manages all DHCP and NAT services via an auto-deployed application instance called the network function virtualization (NFV) instance. There is one NFV instance per VNET. This NFV instance acts like any application instance in your cloud infrastructure. It resides in a virtual datacenter and consumes migration zone and storage pool resources, and it uses the gateway IP address for your VNET.

You can also choose your own application instance to act as a VNET NFV instance. This allows load balancer and firewall applications, such as NetScaler, to run in ThinkAgile CP and act as the VNET gateway.

Note

At least one VLAN must be created before a VNET can be deployed.

Refer to the following topics for instructions on how to create a VNET.

• Prerequisites
  Review the following prerequisites for creating a VNET.
• Create a VNET
  Complete these steps to create a virtual network (VNET) in the ThinkAgile CP Cloud Controller.
• Define Settings for Auto-Deployed VNET
  Complete these steps to define the settings for an auto-deployed VNET.
• Create and deploy a custom NFV instance
  If you selected the Manual option in the Network Services section to use your own NFV instance for the VNET, you will need to create and configure your NFV instance. At least one of the vNICs for this instance must use this VNET. You must be an infrastructure admin user to create and deploy a custom NFV instance.
• Configure VNET for external routing service
  When creating a virtual network (VNET) in ThinkAgile CP version 3.3 and later, additional configuration is required if you select Virtual Networking for the external Routing Service. A static route must be added to the Interconnect and the Network Function Virtualization (NFV) instance of the VNET acting as the routing service.
• Configure a firewall for a VNET (optional)
  You can easily specify firewall settings for a VNET.
• Finalize Creating the VNET
  This section covers the final step to finish creating the new VNET.
• Configure the core router
  The Core Router is required to be configured when VNETs are created. For virtual networking to work successfully in infrastructures without BGP, the core router must be configured to recognize the IP addresses in each virtual network.