WWPN not visible under NPIV config in ESXi 6.5.x and 6.7.x host client User Interface

Products

• VMware vSphere ESXi

Issue/Introduction

When using the VMware host client, you see these symptoms:

• WWPNs are not visible.
• WWPNs are displayed as 19 digits instead of 16 digits in the virtual machine settings under NPIV configuration in ESXi 6.5, 6.5 U1, and 6.7.                                             

Note: The above is not true if the Host is connected to a vCenter Server and users are using vSphere Web User Interface (UI). The WWPNs displayed here are accurate with 16 digits. (Where WWPN = World Wide Port Name, NPIV = N_Port ID Virtualization)

Environment

• VMware vSphere ESXi 6.5
• VMware vSphere ESXi 6.7

Resolution

This is a known issue affecting VMware ESXi 6.5.x and 6.7.x.

Currently, there is no resolution.

Workaround:

1. Log in to the ESXi host of the affected virtual machines.  
2. Browse to the datastore where the virtual machine is residing.
3. Browse to the virtual machines folder.
4. Open the .vmx file of the virtual machine and the WWPNs generated are visible in that file. 
   
   Alternatively, connect the ESXi host to the vCenter Server and use the vSphere Web Client.
   
   Note: This is a VMware host client specific issue that under NPIV configuration, users cannot get the WWPN info, or the displayed WWPNs from the web console are inaccurate with 19 digits.