UCSM / VMware vCenter Server dependencies for vDS

Question

I am still trying to wrap my head around the differences between the vDS created via UCSM / VMware vCenter integration and the traditional N1K.  
If understand correctly, the UCSM (1.4) vDS does not require the VSM appliance that is needed with the N1K.  And if that is correct, is there any dependency on vCenter?  If vCenter goes down will the vDS continue to operate normally as the FIs are acting as the VSM?

Answer 1

Hi Peter,
Just to add to the nice post from Eric, 5+ Eric
as you might aware that with the Cisco M81KR VIC adapter
-  VN-Link in hardware, all traffic to and from a virtual machine passes through the DVS and the hypervisor.
and then returns to the virtual machine on the server. Switching occurs in the fabric interconnect (hardware).
As a result, network policies can be applied to traffic between virtual machines. This capability provides
consistency between physical and virtual servers
For Cisco UCS instances that use Cisco M81KR VIC adapters to implement VN-Link in hardware, you must
create and install an extension file to establish the relationship and communications between Cisco UCS
Manager and the VMware vCenter. This extension file is an XML file that contains vital information
The distributed virtual switch (DVS) framework delivers VN-Link in hardware features and capabilities for virtual machines on Cisco UCS servers with VIC adapters
With VN-link in hardware, Layer 2 traffic between two VMs on the same host is not locally switched on the DVS but it sent upstream to the UCs-6100 for the policy application and switching. Switching occurs in the fabric interconnect (hardware). As a result, network policies can be applied to traffic between virtual machines. This capability provides consistency between physical and virtual servers.
In VMware vCenter, a port profile is represented as a port group. Cisco UCS Manager pushes the port profile names to vCenter, which displays the names as port groups. None of the specific networking properties or settings in the port profile are visible in VMware vCenter.
for more technical details see the bellow link
http://www.cisco.com/en/US/products/ps10281/products_configuration_example09186a0080b52d0d.shtml
HTH
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