Virtual switch labels begin with a number.

Overview

Finding ID	Version	Rule ID	IA Controls	Severity
V-15813	ESX0240	SV-16752r1_rule		Medium

Description
Virtual switches within the ESX Server require a field for the name of the switch. This label is important since it serves as a functional descriptor for the switch. The labels of the virtual switches will not contain a number as the first character, since there have been known issues in the past that have caused erratic behavior. This has been especially true when renaming or removing the virtual switch. Labeling virtual switches will indicate the function or the IP subnet of the virtual switch. For instance, labeling the virtual switch as “internal” or some variation will indicate that the switch is only for internal networking between virtual machines private virtual switch with no physical network adapters bound to it.

Description

Virtual switches within the ESX Server require a field for the name of the switch. This label is important since it serves as a functional descriptor for the switch. The labels of the virtual switches will not contain a number as the first character, since there have been known issues in the past that have caused erratic behavior. This has been especially true when renaming or removing the virtual switch. Labeling virtual switches will indicate the function or the IP subnet of the virtual switch. For instance, labeling the virtual switch as “internal” or some variation will indicate that the switch is only for internal networking between virtual machines private virtual switch with no physical network adapters bound to it.

STIG	Date
VMware ESX 3 Virtual Center	2016-05-03

Details

Check Text ( C-16103r1_chk )
To check to see if virtual switches have labels, perform the following within VirtualCenter: 1. Log into VirtualCenter with the VI Client and select the ESX server from the inventory panel. The hardware configuration page for this server appears. 2. Click the Configuration tab, and click Networking. Ensure that all virtual switches have a label that does not start with a number. If the virtual switches begin with a number, this is a finding.

Check Text ( C-16103r1_chk )

To check to see if virtual switches have labels, perform the following within VirtualCenter:

1. Log into VirtualCenter with the VI Client and select the ESX server from the inventory panel.
The hardware configuration page for this server appears.
2. Click the Configuration tab, and click Networking.
Ensure that all virtual switches have a label that does not start with a number. If the virtual switches begin with a number, this is a finding.

Fix Text (F-15766r1_fix)
Do not begin virtual switch labels with a number.