Table of Contents

Network configuration on a virtual machine

When you install your server with a virtualization solution like VMware vSphere Hypervisor (ESXi) or Proxmox you can create multiple virtual machines on the server.

This can be used to have separate environments to divide between your different services (for example keeping mail and web services on different VMs) or to launch several virtual machines to make better use of the performance of the server.

To communicate on the Internet each of your virtual machines needs an IP Address. You can use Failover IP's to have additional IP's available for your server.

It is required that a virtual MAC address is assigned to each failover IP and that the virtual MAC is configured on the network interface of the virtual machine.



Note that we now have a unique Gateway for all your VMs! It's 62.210.0.1.
This allow you to seamlessly move your VM between Hypervisor without changing your Network configuration.

Be advised that it's still required to move the concerned Failover IP between your servers through your console or our API.

Below you can find examples for the configuration of the network interfaces on different distributions inside a virtual machine:

Ubuntu/Debian


You have to launch the console of your VM in your hypervizor.

At first you will have to edit the file /etc/network/interfaces 

auto eth0
iface eth0 inet static
    address failover-ip
    netmask 255.255.255.255
    pointopoint 62.210.0.1
    gateway 62.210.0.1

then edit the file 

/etc/resolv.conf

enter the following content about our DNS cache 

nameserver 62.210.16.6
nameserver 62.210.16.7

Once you have saved your configuration type ifup eth0 to activate the network of your VM, you can verify the configuration using ping.
The network of your server is configured now and your first VM is ready to be used.

Redhat / CentOS

Open your VM in the virtual console of your hypervizor

Edit the file /etc/sysconfig/network-scripts/ifcfg-eth0 

DEVICE=eth0
BOOTPROTO=none
ONBOOT=yes
USERCTL=no
IPV6INIT=no
PEERDNS=yes
TYPE=Ethernet
NETMASK=255.255.255.255
IPADDR=failover-ip
GATEWAY=62.210.0.1
DNS1=62.210.16.6
DNS2=62.210.16.7
ARP=yes
HWADDR=your-virtual-mac

Edit the file /etc/sysconfig/network-scripts/route-eth0 

62.210.0.1 dev eth0
default via 62.210.0.1 dev eth0

Then type ifup eth0 to activate the network of your server.

Your server is configured now and your first VM is ready to use.

Windows Server

Connect to the desktop of your VM in the virtual console, then open the network settings of your server.

You have to enter the following information in the network adapter configuration:

  • Address: Failover IP
  • Subnetmask: 255.255.255.255
  • Gateway: 62.210.0.1
  • DNS 1: 62.210.16.6
  • DNS 2: 62.210.16.7

DNS

As indicated in our configurations, you can use our DNS Cache.
But you can also configure a local resolver directly on your server.