Configuring Networking in VMM

 

Updated: May 13, 2016

Applies To: System Center 2012 SP1 - Virtual Machine Manager, System Center 2012 R2 Virtual Machine Manager, System Center 2012 - Virtual Machine Manager

By using networking in Virtual Machine Manager (VMM), you can efficiently provision network resources for a virtualized environment:

  • In System Center 2012: One of the networking enhancements in System Center 2012 makes it easier to connect virtual machines to a network that serves a particular function in your environment, for example, the “Backend,” “Frontend,” or “Backup” network. To do this, you associate IP subnets and, if needed, virtual local area networks (VLANs) together into named units called logical networks. Also, in logical networks where you do not use Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol (DHCP), you can simplify IP address management by configuring IP pools. Another networking enhancement in VMM in System Center 2012 is the integration of load balancers.

  • In System Center 2012 Service Pack 1 (SP1) and System Center 2012 R2: Networking in VMM in System Center 2012 Service Pack 1 (SP1) and in System Center 2012 R2 adds more options for greater flexibility. One example is network virtualization, which extends the concept of server virtualization to allow you to deploy multiple virtual networks on the same physical network. Another example is switch extensions, which give you added capabilities with your networks, such as the ability to monitor network traffic, enhance the level of security on your networks, or provide quality of service (QoS) to let you control how your network bandwidth is used.

Configuring networking

To learn more about networking in VMM, see the following topics.

Next steps after configuring networking

For information about the next steps to take after configuring networking, see the following topics:

Topic Step
Preparing the Fabric in VMM Configure additional fabric resources such as storage and library resources.
Adding and Managing Hyper-V Hosts and Scale-Out File Servers in VMM 
 Managing VMware ESX and Citrix XenServer in VMM
Configure hosts.
Creating and Deploying Virtual Machines and Services in VMM Deploy virtual machines, individually or as part of a service.