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+--- Thread: What are the steps to create and configure a logical switch in Hyper-V? (/showthread.php?tid=802)
What are the steps to create and configure a logical switch in Hyper-V? - savas - 05-25-2023
Alright, so let’s jump straight into creating and configuring a logical switch in Hyper-V. First off, you’ll want to fire up the Hyper-V Manager. It’s the starting point for pretty much everything related to your virtual machines. Once you're in, look for the "Virtual Switch Manager" on the right-hand panel. That’s where all the magic happens.
When you're in the Virtual Switch Manager, you’ll see a button labeled “New virtual network switch.” Go ahead and click that. You’ll be given a choice of switch types: External, Internal, and Private. If you want your VMs to communicate with each other and the outside network, pick External. If it’s just for VM-to-VM communication, then Internal will do.
After you select the type, hit “Create Virtual Switch.” You’ll then need to give your switch a name—it can be anything that makes sense to you. Maybe something straightforward like "External Switch," or if you're feeling cheeky, get creative! A good name will save you some head-scratching later on.
Next up, you're going to configure some settings. This part is crucial. If you chose External, you need to link the switch to your physical network adapter. When you click the drop-down menu in the configuration options, pick the adapter that connects your server to the network. Be careful here—selecting the wrong one can lead to losing your connection, and nobody wants that.
Now, check out the "Allow management operating system to share this network adapter" option. If you want your host OS to access the network through this switch, definitely check that box. It’s a lifesaver for management and monitoring tools.
If you’re planning on using VLANs, go ahead and look for that VLAN ID option. You can specify a VLAN ID for the traffic on this switch if your environment requires it. Just make sure you’ve got a clear plan for VLANs; otherwise, you might end up with a mess on your hands.
Once you’ve made all your selections and configurations, hit “OK” to create the switch. Now, the new logical switch is ready to be used, but we’re not done just yet. You need to connect your virtual machines to this switch.
Open up the settings for each VM you want to connect. Under the "Network Adapter" section, you’ll be able to select your newly created switch from a drop-down. Make sure to do this for all the VMs you wish to attach to the switch.
Finally, after all that, it’s good practice to test everything out to ensure your setup works like a charm. Launch your VMs and make sure they can ping each other and access the external network if you set it up that way.
And there you go! You’ve got yourself a logical switch configured in Hyper-V. It's a bit of a process, but pretty straightforward once you get the hang of it. You'll see how smooth things run once you have VMs talking seamlessly with each other and the outside world.
I hope my post was useful. Are you new to Hyper-V and do you have a good Hyper-V backup solution? See my other post