Host validation while commissioning fails with the error: vSAN Partition found on the host,needs clean-up

Products

• VMware Cloud Foundation

Issue/Introduction

• During commission of the host, when we click on validate all it fails with the error : vSAN Partition found on the host,needs clean-up.
  
  
• In the /var/log/vmware/vcf/operationsmanager/operationsmanager.log you will find the message below:

<timestamp> DEBUG [vcf_om,124c208088e14573,f5c1] [c.v.v.h.f.v.s.i.HostVsanPartitionValidator,om-exec-17] Test device name <vSAN ssd name>
.
<timestamp> DEBUG [vcf_om,124c208088e14573,f5c1] [c.v.v.h.f.v.s.i.HostVsanPartitionValidator,om-exec-17] VSAN partition found <vsan_uuid> <ssd name> on Host <host_name>
.
<timestamp> ERROR [vcf_om,124c208088e14573,f5c1] [c.v.v.h.c.s.i.CommissionHostsValidator,om-exec-17] Host validation failed for Host:<host_name>
.
<timestamp> DEBUG [vcf_om,124c208088e14573,31b4] [c.v.v.h.c.s.i.CommissionHostsValidator,om-exec-6] <Host_name>: VSAN_PARTITION_FOUND

• When trying to delete the partition got in the logs using esxcli vsan storage remove -s <vSAN ssd name> we get the error: "Disk mapping not mounted on this host."

 

Environment

VCF

vSphere ESXi

vSAN

Cause

The host we are commissioning was decommissioned earlier and re-imaged. After the decommission,  host cleanup must be performed so that all the existing vSAN partitions can be deleted.

Resolution

Delete the vSAN partition so that the host can be commissioned without any error.

Follow the below steps to delete the vSAN partitions on the ESXi hosts:

1. Login to the ESXi host via SSH
   
   
2. Run 'vdq -i' to Identify Disks.    

Example output:
[
   {
       "SSD" : "naa.xxx",    
        "MD" : [
                    "naa.xxxx",
                     "naa.xxxx",
                    "naa.xxxx"
                     ]
         }

3.Run the below command to display the current state of disks. Disks from step 2 will likely appear as "Ineligible for use by VSAN".

 esxcli vsan storage list

4.Login to the Host Client for the host and Navigate to Storage → Devices.

5.Locate the SSD listed under "SSD" in step 2.

6.Clear the partition table 

Select the SSD → Click Actions → Clear Partition Table.

7.Similary search for the another disks that were obtained in the step 2 and follow the step 6.

8.Run 'vdq -i' to check  to confirm that all partitions have been cleared.

9.Run esxcli vsan storage list again. Disks with cleared partitions should now show "Eligible for use by VSAN".

10.Retry Host Commissioning Proceed with commissioning the host into the vSAN cluster.

Note: Do not clear the partition table for the disks with name mpx.vmhba as these can be normally used by the host during the boot up.