Which virtual network interface card (vNIC) type must be selected for NSX Edge VM participation in overlay and VLAN transport zones?

The selection of VMXNET3 as the virtual network interface card (vNIC) type for NSX Edge VMs participating in both overlay and VLAN transport zones is based on its features and performance capabilities. VMXNET3 is a paravirtualized network adapter designed to take full advantage of the enhanced performance capabilities of ESXi. It supports a higher throughput, lower latency, and more advanced features compared to other vNIC types.

Specifically, VMXNET3 provides better support for network features such as jumbo frames, multiple queuing, and hardware offloading, which are critical for efficient communications in virtualized environments that utilize NSX features. These features are important when managing network traffic in overlay networks, which require efficient handling to ensure optimal performance and minimal latency.

In contrast, the other vNIC types do not provide the same level of performance and capabilities. For example, the e1000 is an emulated adapter that may not fully utilize the virtualization's potential, particularly in high-performance networking scenarios. VMXNET2, while better than e1000, does not offer all the enhancements that come with VMXNET3. Flexible adapters, on the other hand, can switch between emulated and paravirtual modes at runtime but do