NSX data flow

[touimet]

I have a few questions regarding this diagram that I hope someone can answer.

When the Controllers communicate with the ESXi hosts is it to the vmk0 (Mgmt) interface or to the vmkX (VTEP) interface on the hosts?

I'm assuming it's to the vmk0 (Mgmt) interface and if that is the case is there ANY control plane communication between the vmkX (VTEP) interface on the hosts and any NSX components (Manager, Controller, Edge etc.)?

Additionally is it only VTEP to VTEP communication for the data plane?

[Matthew Larson]

The communication flow is between the agents on the ESXi hypervisor to/from the Controllers and Manager via the management interface.

This document details the agents:

https://www.vmware.com/files/pdf/products/nsx/vmw-nsx-network-virtualization-design-guide.pdf

This KB details the port requirements for NSX:

VMware KB: Network Port Requirements for VMware NSX for vSphere 6.x

VTEPs communicate only with other VTEPs.  The concept of the data plane include more than just the VTEPs.  The design guide provides greater detail on that topic as well.

[DKalintsev]

I'd use NSX-v 6.1 - Security Hardening Guide (Published version 1.4) as the definitive reference for the NSX ports.

The KB 2079386 has some missing, and some unexpected extras (e.g., TCP/8672 - Controllers never connect to hosts, especially to vsfwd, referred to in the KB as the "User World Agent").