Deploying NSX-T Edge node on ESXi

Deploying NSX-T Edge Node:

In this blog post, I will show you how to deploy the NSX-T edge node from the OVF Template. The Edge installation is supported in OVA/OVF, ISO with PXE and ISO without PXE installation modes. The NSX-T Edge deployment is supported on ESXi and on the Bare-Metal Servers. However the Edge deployment is UNSUPPORTED on the KVM hypervisors.

This is the Part 06 of the NSX-T 2.1 video series, where in I have covered how to deploy the edge node from the OVF file.

Releated posts:

NSX-T Edge node deployment Step -by-step:

To deploy the NSX-T edge node in the vSphere environment, hogin to the vSphere webclient with the admin credentials.

Right click on the ESXi Cluster and click Deploy OVF Template

On the Select template, click Browse to locate the NSX-T edge OVF template local file and click Next

NOTE: You can also specify the URL of the NSX-T edge to deploy the Edge node.

On the Select name and location, enter the Name “NSX-Edge-01” and select a datacenter or folder and click Next

On a Select a resource, Select a host or cluster or resource pool or vapp and click Next

Verify the template details on the Review details page and click Next

Sizing NSX-T edge node:

On Select configuration, select Configuration “Small or Medium or Large” and click Next
- Small: This configuration is intended for proof-of-concept or test environments and should n ot be used in a production environment.
- Medium or Large: This configuration will be used in the production environment

NSX-T Edge form-factor	CPU Cores	Memory	Disk
Small	2	4 GB	120 GB
Medium	4	8 GB	120 GB
Large	8	16 GB	120 GB

I will deploying the NSX-T edge in a POC environment, hence I am fine with the Small Configuration, click Next

On Select Storage, Select virtual disk format “Thick provision lazy zeroed or Thin provision or Thick provision eager zeroed“
Select a datastore to store the NSX Edge virtual appliance files.
Click Next

NSX-T Edge Networks:

On Select networks, select the networks for the NSX-T edge node.

By default, the NSX-T edge has 4 virtual network interfaces, where the first interface will be the management interface to manage the NSX-T edge node. Connect the Network 0 to the management network. The remaining three network cards will be used to connect to the Overlay or VLAN based networks. While preparing the NSX-T edge nodes as the transport nodes the Network 1, Network 2, and Network 3 will be used.

Here is how I have configured my NSX-T edge networks:

Connect Network 0 vNic interface to Management Network,
Connect Network 1, Network 2 and Network 3 to VLAN and Overlay based networks

Note: In this release of NSX-T 2.1, the IPv6 is not supported

Click Next

Customize template:

On Customize template, Specify the password and IP settings.
- Set the passwords for admin account.

On Customize template, set the passwords for audit account.

The Manager IP, Manager Thumbprint and Node ID are optional. I will be leaving this blank at this moment. However, I will register the NSX-T command line using the NSX Manager thumbprint to register the edge node with the NSX Manager.

Set the root account password.

Specify the DNS Settings. enter the DNS Server list and Domain Search List

NSX-T edge network properties:

Expand Network, to enter the hostname,Management Network IPV4 Address, Management Network Netmask.
Expand Services configuration to Allow root SSH logins, Enable SSH and enter the NTP Server list
Click Next