VMware vCenter Server fails when adding a host or portgroup to a DVS

Products

• VMware vCenter Server

Issue/Introduction

• Adding a host or port group to a DVS fails
• When executing this SQL statement INSERT INTO VPX_DVPORT_MEMBERSHIP WITH (ROWLOCK) (DVS_ID, DVPORT_KEY, DVPORTGROUP_ID, HOST_ID) VALUES (?, ?, ?, ?), you see the error similar to:
  
  ODBC error: (23000) - [Microsoft][SQL Server Native Client 11.0][SQL Server]Violation of PRIMARY KEY constraint 'PK_VPX_DVPORT_MEMBERSHIP'. Cannot insert duplicate key in object 'VMW.VPX_DVPORT_MEMBERSHIP'. The duplicate key value is (6653, 0).
   
• vCenter Server creates a dump file and fails
• The same error is displayed in the vCenter Server Event Viewer and in the /var/log/vpxd.log file.

Environment

• VMware vCenter Server 6.0.x
• VMware vCenter Server 6.5.x
• VMware vCenter Server 5.5.x

Cause

This issue occurs when a DVS configuration which was backed up and restored on vCenter Server, allocates a port ID that is not existent in memory but exists in the database.

Resolution

Modify the database using the SQL Management Studio.

Note: This procedure modifies the database. Ensure to take a backup of the database before proceeding.

 

To modify the database:

1. Take a backup of the database.
2. Stop the VMware VirtualCenter Server service.
3. Run this query in the SQL Management Studio:
    
   1. Open the database:
      
      Use vCenterDatabaseName
      
      Where vCenterDatatbaseName is the name given to the vCenter database.
       
   2. Confirm the DVS name, the id is taken from the Violation of PRIMARY KEY constraint error message:
      
      Select * from VPX_DVS where id = 6653
       
   3. Update the database:
      
      Update VPX_DVS set port_counter=10768, upgrade_mode=1 where ID = 6653;
      
      Note: The port_counter value of 10768 is heuristically chosen and can and may need to be larger, depending on the environment.
4. Start the VMware VirtualCenter Server service.