Configure Bridge Networks
Bridge networks are the network or networks that container VMs use to communicate with each other. Every virtual container host (VCH) must have a unique bridge network.
In Docker terminology, the bridge network on a VCH corresponds to the default bridge network, or docker0 interface, on a Docker host. Container application developers can use docker network create to create additional, user-defined bridge networks when they run containers. For information about default bridge networks and user-defined networks, see Docker container networking in the Docker documentation.
Options
The sections in this topic each correspond to an entry in the Configure Networks page of the Create Virtual Container Host wizard, and to the corresponding vic-machine create options.
Bridge Network
A port group that container VMs use to communicate with each other.
Before you deploy a VCH, you must create a VMware vSphere Distributed Switch and a port group for the bridge network. You must add the target ESXi host or hosts to the switch, and assign a VLAN ID to the port group, to ensure that the bridge network is isolated. For information about how to create a vSphere Distributed Switch and port group, see Networking Requirements for VCH Deployment.
IMPORTANT
- Do not specify the same port group as the bridge network for multiple VCHs. Sharing a port group between VCHs might result in multiple container VMs being assigned the same IP address.
- Do not use the bridge network port group as the target for any of the other VCH networking options.
- Do not use the bridge network for any other VM workloads.
Create VCH Wizard
Select an existing port group from the Bridge network drop-down menu. It is mandatory to specify a bridge network.
vic-machine Option
--bridge-network, -b
You designate the bridge network by specifying the vic-machine create --bridge-network option.
The --bridge-network option is mandatory if you are deploying a VCH to vCenter Server.
The --bridge-network option is optional if you are deploying a VCH to an ESXi host that is not managed by vCenter Server. In this case, if you do not specify --bridge-network, vic-machine creates a vSphere Distributed Switch and a port group that each have the same name as the VCH. You can optionally specify this option to assign an existing port group for use as the bridge network for container VMs. You can also optionally specify this option to create a new switch and port group that have a different name to the VCH.
--bridge-network port_group_name
If you do not specify --bridge-network or if you specify an invalid port group name, vic-machine create fails and suggests valid port groups.
Bridge Network Range
A range of IP addresses that additional bridge networks can use when container application developers use docker network create to create new user-defined networks. VCHs create these additional user-defined bridge networks by using IP address segregation within a set address range, so user-defined bridge networks do not require you to assign dedicated port groups. By default, all VCHs use the standard Docker range of 172.16.0.0.0/12 for additional user-defined networks. You can override the default range if that range is already in use in your network. You can reuse the same network address range across all VCHs.
When you specify a bridge network IP range, you specify the IP range as a CIDR. The smallest subnet that you can specify is /16.
Create VCH Wizard
If the default range of 172.16.0.0.0/12 is in use in your network, enter a new range as a CIDR. For example, enter 192.168.100.0/16.
vic-machine Option
--bridge-network-range, --bnr
If the default range of 172.16.0.0.0/12 is in use in your network, specify a new range in the --bridge-network-range option.
--bridge-network-range network_address/subnet
If you specify an invalid value for --bridge-network-range, vic-machine create fails with an error.
What to Do Next
If you are using the Create Virtual Container Host wizard, stay on the Configure Networks page and Configure the Public Network settings.
Example vic-machine Command
This example vic-machine create command deploys a VCH that designates an existing port group named vch1-bridge as the bridge network. It specifies IP addresses in the range 192.168.100.0/16 for use by user-defined bridge networks.
vic-machine-operating_system create --target 'Administrator@vsphere.local':password@vcenter_server_address/dc1 --compute-resource cluster1 --image-store datastore1 --bridge-network vch1-bridge --bridge-network-range 192.168.100.0/16 --name vch1 --thumbprint certificate_thumbprint --no-tlsverify