How to add a host back to a vSAN cluster after an ESXi host rebuild
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How to add a host back to a vSAN cluster after an ESXi host rebuild

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Article ID: 327032

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Updated On:

Products

VMware vSAN

Issue/Introduction

This article provides steps to rebuild an ESXi host that previously participated in a vSAN (formerly known as Virtual SAN) cluster.

Environment

VMware vSAN 6.1.x
VMware vSAN 7.0.x
VMware vSAN 8.0.x
VMware vSAN 6.5.x
VMware vSAN 5.5.x
VMware vSAN 6.2.x
VMware vSAN 6.0.x

Resolution

To rejoin the ESXi host to the vSAN cluster:
  1. Install the exact ESXi version the rest of the cluster is using, ensuring that you preserve the vSAN disk partitions.
  2. Configure the vSAN VMkernel port group on the host. For more information, see Configuring vSAN VMkernel networking (2058368).
  3. Reconnect the host to the vSAN cluster in vCenter Server.
  4. Connect to one of the remaining vSAN cluster hosts using SSH.
  5. Identify the vSAN Sub Cluster ID using this command:

    # esxcli vsan cluster get

    You see output similar to:

    Cluster Information
    Enabled: true
    Current Local Time: 2013-09-06T18:50:39Z
    Local Node UUID: 521b50a1-ad57-5028-ad51-90b11c3dd59a
    Local Node State: MASTER
    Local Node Health State: HEALTHY
    Sub-Cluster Master UUID: 521b50a1-ad57-5028-ad51-90b11c3dd59a
    Sub-Cluster Backup UUID: 52270091-d4c9-b9a0-377b-90b11c3dfe18
    Sub-Cluster UUID: 5230913c-15de-dda3-045e-f4d510a93f1c
    Sub-Cluster Membership Entry Revision: 1
    Sub-Cluster Member UUIDs: 521b50a1-ad57-5028-ad51-90b11c3dd59a, 52270091-d4c9-b9a0-377b-90b11c3dfe18
    Sub-Cluster Membership UUID: f3b22752-f055-bcc5-c622-90b11c3dd59a
     
  6. Run this command on the newly rebuilt ESXi host using the Sub Cluster UUID identified in step 5:

    # esxcli vsan cluster join -u sub_cluster_UUID

    For example:

    # esxcli vsan cluster join -u 5230913c-15de-dda3-045e-f4d510a93f1c
     
  7. Verify that the host is now a part of the vSAN cluster by running the command:

    # esxcli vsan cluster get

    You see output similar to:

    Cluster Information
    Enabled: true
    Current Local Time: 2013-09-06T11:51:51Z
    Local Node UUID: 522756f5-336a-8de0-791a-90b11c3e1fb9
    Local Node State: AGENT
    Local Node Health State: HEALTHY
    Sub-Cluster Master UUID: 521b50a1-ad57-5028-ad51-90b11c3dd59a
    Sub-Cluster Backup UUID: 52270091-d4c9-b9a0-377b-90b11c3dfe18
    Sub-Cluster UUID: 5230913c-15de-dda3-045e-f4d510a93f1c
    Sub-Cluster Membership Entry Revision: 1
    Sub-Cluster Member UUIDs: 521b50a1-ad57-5028-ad51-90b11c3dd59a, 52270091-d4c9-b9a0-377b-90b11c3dfe18, 522756f5-336a-8de0-791a-90b11c3e1fb9
    Sub-Cluster Membership UUID: f3b22752-f055-bcc5-c622-90b11c3dd59a
     
  8. In the vCenter Server, refresh the vSAN status view. All hosts now report the status as Healthy.


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