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Configure a NetScaler VPX instance to use PCI passthrough network interfaces

After you have installed and configured a NetScaler VPX instance on the Linux-KVM platform, you can use the Virtual Machine Manager to configure the virtual appliance to use PCI passthrough network interfaces.

Prerequisites

  • The firmware version of the Intel XL710 NIC (NIC) on the KVM Host is 5.04.
  • The KVM Host supports input–output memory management unit (IOMMU) and Intel VT-d, and they are enabled in the BIOS of the KVM Host. On the KVM Host, to enable IOMMU, add the following entry to the /boot/grub2/grub.cfg file: intel_iommu=1
  • Run the following command and reboot the KVM Host: Grub2-mkconfig –o /boot/grub2/grub.cfg

To configure NetScaler VPX instances to use PCI passthrough network interfaces by using the Virtual Machine Manager:

  1. Power off the NetScaler VPX instance.

  2. Select the NetScaler VPX instance and click Open.

    Configure SR-IOV

  3. In the virtual_machine on KVM> window, click the i icon.

    Configure VM on KVM

  4. Click Add Hardware.

  5. In the Add New Virtual Hardware dialog box, do the following:

    a. Select PCI Host Device.

    b. In the Host Device section, select the Intel XL710 physical function.

    c. Click Finish.

    PCI host settings

  6. Repeat steps 4 and 5 to add any additional Intel XL710 physical functions.

  7. Power on the NetScaler VPX instance.

  8. Once the NetScaler VPX instance powers on, you can use the following command to verify the configuration:

    Configure SR-IOV command

    The output must show all the interfaces that you configured:

    Show interface summary

Configure a NetScaler VPX instance to use PCI passthrough network interfaces