Virtual Machine Manager network object fundamentals

System Center Virtual Machine Manager (VMM) is part of the System Center suite used to configure, manage, and transform traditional datacenters. It helps provide a unified management experience across on-premises, service provider, and the Azure cloud.

This article covers the basics that you need to understand before you move on to topics such as advanced VMM features and functions, and planning and designing private and public clouds.

Networking objects

The following VMM networking objects are used to build the basic networking infrastructure of Microsoft's Software Defined Networking (SDN) used in private and public clouds:

• Hosts and host group

  Hyper-V hosts that VMM manages, organized into groups based on location or purpose.

• Logical network

  Logical objects that mirror your physical networks.

Note

The terminology for logical networks has changed from 2019 UR1. For more information, see Logical networks in UR1.

• One connected logical network

• One connected logical network

  A single VM network is created on top of this logical network, and this VM network provides access to all the underlying VLAN-subnet pairs.

  

• Independent logical network

  Multiple VM networks can be created on top of this logical network. Each VM network created provides access to a specific VLAN-subnet pair. The VM networks are independent of each other.

  

• Virtualized network

  This is the fabric network. Multiple virtualized VM networks can be created on top of this logical network. Each VM network has its own virtualized address space.

  

• Network sites

  Logical groupings of hosts, IP Subnets, and/or VLANs.

• IP address pools (logical networks)

  A static pool of IP addresses used for the associated network sites' IP subnet/VLAN pairs.

• VM networks

  Abstract objects that act as an interface to logical networks.

• IP address pools (VM Networks)

  A static pool of IP addresses for the VM network.

• Uplink port profile

  Defines the load balancing algorithm and teaming mode for physical adapters. Uplink port profiles can be applied to physical network adapters when you deploy switches.

• Virtual network adapter port profile

  Defines the virtual network adapter properties for the virtual network adapters available with the logical switch.

• Port classification

  A label to abstract the virtual network adapter port profile settings.

• Logical Switch

  Brings virtual switch extensions, port profiles, and port classifications together.

• Gateway

  Used to connect a Hyper-V Network Virtualization (HNV) VM network to an external network.

For more information about Microsoft SDN, see Software Defined Networking.

Next steps

To get started with VMM, see What's New in SCVMM and Install.