Creating an NSX-T VI workload domain in VMware Cloud Foundation 3.5.x fails on the Deploy NSX-T Manager task

Products

• VMware Cloud Foundation

Issue/Introduction

Symptoms:

• Creating an NSX-T VI workload domain in VMware Cloud Foundation 3.5.x fails on the Deploy NSX-T Manager task
• You see an error similar to the following under the failed Deploy NSX-T Manager task:

Invalid parameter: Unable to Connect VC 192.168.16.10 as part of pre-validation verification

• The vCenter Server system noted by its IP address in the error message is accessible and healthy.
• You see messages similar to the following in the /var/log/vmware/vcf/domainmanager/domainmanager.log file on the SDDC Manager VM:

2019-02-10 23:38:49.649 [vcf_dm,238e36a516e7d148,d13d350a5f92b64c] [1-thread-4] ERROR [c.v.v.c.f.p.nsxt.action.NsxtDeploymentBaseAction]   Failed to connect to vSphere endpoint 192.168.16.10:
com.vmware.evo.sddc.orchestrator.exceptions.OrchTaskException: Ovftool pre-verification failed for deployment of VM nsxmanager-2 on VC 192.168.16.10 with message Local command  /usr/bin/ovftool --noSSLVerify --skipManifestCheck --powerOn --diskMode=thin --acceptAllEulas --allowExtraConfig --ipProtocol=IPv4 --ipAllocationPolicy=fixedPolicy --verifyOnly --prop:nsx_role=nsx-manager --prop:nsx_ip_0=192.168.16.23 --prop:nsx_netmask_0=255.255.255.0 --prop:nsx_gateway_0=192.168.16.1 --network=SDDC-DPortGroup-Mgmt --deploymentOption=large --X:logFile=/tmp/nsxt-manager-ovf5292962275241303965.log --X:logLevel=trivia --datastore=EPG-VCF-Datastore --name=nsxmanager-2 --prop:nsx_hostname=nsxmanager-2.vcf.corp.local --prop:nsx_dns1_0=192.168.16.1 --prop:nsx_ntp_0=10.113.60.176 --prop:nsx_passwd_0=********** --prop:nsx_cli_passwd_0=********** --prop:nsx_isSSHEnabled=True --prop:nsx_allowSSHRootLogin=True /mnt/cdrom/nsxt_ova/nsx-unified-appliance-2.3.1.0.0.11294305.ova vi://[email protected]:************@192.168.16.10/EPG-VCF-DS/host/EPG-VCF-Cluster/Resources/EPG-VCF-sddc-mgmt failed with exit value 1
LocalProcess INFO: 2019-02-10 23:38:49 - Error: Failed to read from file: nsx-unified-appliance-2.3.1.0.0.11294305.ova
LocalProcess INFO: 2019-02-10 23:38:49 - Completed with errors

 

• The NSX-T files that are needed for the NSX-T workload domain deployment are either not present under /mnt/cdrom/nsxt_ova on the SDDC Manager VM or they (or the /mnt/cdrom/nsxt_ova folder) have permissions/ownership that restrict them from being accessed.

 

Note: The preceding log excerpts are only examples. Date, time, and environmental variables may vary depending on your environment.

Environment

VMware Cloud Foundation 3.5.x

Cause

This issue can occur when the NSX-T files that are needed for the NSX-T workload domain deployment are either not present under /mnt/cdrom/nsxt_ova on the SDDC Manager VM or they (or the /mnt/cdrom/nsxt_ova folder) have permissions/ownership that restrict them from being accessed.

Resolution

To resolve this issue, ensure that the necessary NSX-T files are copied to the /mnt/cdrom/nsxt_ova folder on the SDDC Manager VM and that the permissions/ownership on the /mnt/cdrom/nsxt_ova folder are correct. See Additional Prerequisites for an NSX-T Based Workload Domain for more information. The failed task can be restarted once the issue is corrected and the NSX-T workload domain creation should complete successfully.