In an NSX-T environment VRNI/VROPs/vCenter report Dropped Packets

Products

• VMware vSphere ESXi
• VMware NSX-T Data Center
• VMware NSX

Issue/Introduction

• You are using below software versions
• • NSX-T Data Center not configured with Service Insertion and vSphere ESXi pre 7.0 Update 1
    OR
    NSX-T Data Center configured with Service Insertion and any vSphere ESXi version
    
    
• The following Warning Events may be present on VRNI
  • NSX-T Logical Port Received Packets are getting dropped.
  • Received packets are getting dropped on the NSX-T Logical Port and associated entities might get affected.
  • NSX-T Logical Port Transmitted Packets are getting dropped.
  • Transmitted packets are getting dropped on the NSX-T Logical Port and associated entities might get affected.
    
    
• VROPs reports dropped packets for VMs including Edge VMs
• vCenter advanced performance charts report Dropped packets
• There is no other indication of a networking issue and no indication of application impact
• Drop Counters are seen to be increasing when running the API GET api/v1/logical-ports/<portid>/statistics  
• On ESXi net-dvs output shows increasing values for "pktsInDropped" and "pktsOutDropped" on the associated port

Environment

VMware vSphere ESXi 7.x or earlier
VMware NSX-T Data Center
VMware NSX

Cause

VRNI queries NSX-T via API for port statistics.
NSX-T in turn gets this port statistic information from the ESXi host.
Additionally, VROPs queries vCenter for port drop information which again is reported from the ESXi hosts.
Due to a software issue on the ESXi host, the dropped counter stats are calculated incorrectly.

Resolution

This issue is resolved in VMware vSphere ESXi 7 Update 1
If you are having difficulty finding and downloading software, please review the Download Broadcom products and software KB.

Workaround:
To avoid false positives VRNI System, you can disable the events.
Please note that if there is a real condition that is causing dropped packets and you disable the events you will not be alerted.

Login to VRNI and guide yourself to Settings > Events > System Events

Disable the following Events

• NSX-T Logical Port Received Packets are getting dropped.
• NSX-T Logical Port Transmitted Packets are getting dropped.

Note: In NSX-T environments configured with Service Insertion, false reports of packet drops will continue to be reported on all versions of ESXi. This Service Insertion specific issue is currently under investigation.