Software >> OS >> Unix >> Solaris >> 11 >> Zones >> Network >> What are the characteristics of virtual switch and etherstub and what are their differences

 

 

Virtual Switch

  • provides connection between VNICs and the physical NIC upon which the VNICs are built.  The physical interface provides the system with it's external network connection
  • the VNIC has the same datalink interface as a physical interface

Example

# dladm create-vnic -l e1000g0 vnic0

# dladm create-vnic -l e1000g0 vnic1

This creates a virtual switch between the vnic0/vnic1 and the physical interface e1000g0

 

Etherstub

  • Purely software and do NOT require a network interface as the basis for the virtual network
  • VNICs created on etherstub are independent of the physical NICs in the system.
  • Can be used private or isolated virtual networks

# dladm create-etherstub stub0

# dladm create-vnic -l stub0 vnic0

# dladm create-vnic-l stub0 vnic1

etherstub stub0 is purely software and has no connection to any physical interface.  The vnics (vnic0/vnic1) are created over the ether stub and are on a private isolated network