Migrate Networking From Distributed Switch To Standard Switch

In the previous article here, we saw how to migrate ESXi networking from Standard Switch to Distributed Switch. In this one, we will perform the reverse of this.

Step 1:
This is the setup that I have for my vDS after I had it migrated.


Here I have 2 portgroups, one for my virtual machine and one for my vmk management port-group. And both of these are connected to two uplinks, vmnic0 and vmnic1

Step 2:
Before creating a standard switch, I will be removing one of the vmnic (Physical Adapter) from the vDS as I do not have any free uplinks to add to the standard switch. Select Manage Physical Adapters and Remove the required uplink.


Step 3:
Now let's go ahead and create a new Standard Switch. Select the vSphere Standard Switch and click Add Networking


Step 4:
Choose Virtual Machine as the port-group type.


Step 5:
Select the available uplink that needs to be connected to this standard switch and click Next


Step 6:
Provide a Network Label to the virtual machine port-group on the standard switch.


Review the settings and complete the create and now you will have one Standard Switch with one virtual machine port-group connected to an uplink. It's now time to begin the migration.


Step 7:
Go back to distributed switches section and select Manage Virtual Adapters


Step 8:
Select the required vmk and click Migrate


Step 9:
Select the required vSwitch as to where you want to migrate this port-group to.


Step 10:
Provide a Network label for this vmk port-group on the standard switch. If you are using any VLAN for the vDS port-group for this vmk, specify the same in the VLAN section to replicate this on the standard switch. Else the migration fails.


Review and complete and you have the management vmk migrated off the distributed switch to the standard switch.


Step 11:
To migrate virtual machine's networking, go to Home > Networking > Right click the vDS and select Migrate VirtualMachine Networking


Step 12:
The source would be the VM port-group on the vDS in my case is, dvPortGroup ad the destination is the standard switch port-group which we created recently, VSS VM Portgroup


Step 13:
Select the virtual machines that you want to migrate.


Review and finish and once the migrate completes, you can now check the standard switch configuration to verify everything is migrated successfully.



Well, that's it!