Better late than never:
You should use GNS3 instead of ESXi. ESXi is pain for bigger labs in that it requires a vSwitch for every interface etc.
You'll have some trouble to get EXOS going in GNS3 too, but if you follow this you'll be great:
- use the GNS3 VM (install it on ESXi) and only install the client on your PC in order to control the VM
- don't use the EXOS template shipped with GNS3 but those from extremenetworks github (same for the QCOW file (the "hard disk"))
- especially don't use an intel nic but a realtek (otherwise tagged traffic doesn't work)
- the first NIC shown in the hypervisor is the MGMT port of the switch, port 1 = NIC 2 and so on (just as in ESXi)
- pausing a link in GNS3 does not make the port actually down, although traffic will - of course - not pass
GNS3 has quirks. But you should try it.