How is the IP address handled when a virtual machine moves? How does it find the right NIC?
A virtual machine’s entire network identity, including IP address, is preserved across a VMotion. As part of ESX 2.0.1, you will be able to label the NICs on your ESX Servers with a network label. Different NICs on different ESX Servers can be associated with the same network label. For example, vmnic0 on ESX01 can be associated with the “Red Network” while vmnic1 on ESX02 can be associated with the “Red Network” as well. When performing a VMotion on a virtual machine that uses the Red Network from ESX01 to ESX02, VirtualCenter will intelligently remap the virtual machine to use vmnic1 on the target host.
