VMKernel Network Adapters Connected to NSX Portgroups Display Uplinks \ LAGs as 'Unused Uplinks' under 'Teaming and Failover' in vCenter

Products

• VMware NSX
• VMware vCenter Server

Issue/Introduction

• vCenter UI:  Host > Configure > Networking > VMKernel Adapters - Select [VMKNIC NUMBER] - 'Policies' tab - 'Teaming and Failover':

• • VMKernel network adapters (vmknic) connected to NSX portgroups display Uplinks \ LAGs as 'Unused Uplinks' under 'Teaming and Failover'.
  • VMKernel network adapters (vmknic) connected to vSphere portgroups (dvPGs) display Uplinks \ LAGs correctly.

 

• vCenter UI:  Host > Configure > Networking > Virtual Switches:

• • Links between VMKernel network adapters (vmknic) connected to NSX portgroups and Uplinks \ LAGs are missing.
  • Links between VMKernel network adapters (vmknic) connected to vSphere portgroups (dvPGs) and Uplinks \ LAGs display correctly.

 

• There is no dataplane impact

Environment

VMware NSX

VMware vCenter

Cause

The below information details why vmknics connected to NSX portgroups display Uplinks \ LAGs as 'Unused Uplinks' under 'Teaming and Failover' in vCenter UI.

 

1.  vSphere and NSX Portgroups

• vSphere portgroups are created by a vSphere user who can change the teaming policy of the vSphere portgroup from vCenter UI.
• NSX portgroups are craeted in NSX Manager and pushed to vCenter UI automatically. The vSphere user can associate vmknics or VMs to NSX portgroups from vCenter UI.
• NSX portgroups share the same constructure as a vSphere portgroup.
• However, by design a number of properties remain unset in vCenter when an NSX porgroup is created.  This includes the NSX portgroup teaming policy.

 

2. vCenter UI vmknic "Teaming and Failover" Logic

• vCenter confirms which portgroup the vmknic is connected to.  vCenter then obtains and displays the portgroups teaming policy.
• If a vmknic is connected to a vSphere portgroup, the vCenter UI teaming policy output is reliable because the vSphere portgroup teaming policy is set in in vCenter.
• If a vmknic is connected to a NSX portgroup, the vCenter UI teaming policy output is unreliable because the NSX portgroup teaming policy is unset in in vCenter:
  • The NSX portgroup will display all uplinks as unused a result. 
  • All 'Teaming and Failover' properties such as "Active Uplinks", "Standby Uplinks", "Unused Uplinks" are unreliable

 

3. Why NSX Portgroup Teaming Policies are Unset in vCenter

• The teaming policies in vCenter and NSX do not share the same constructure, meaning they cannot be mapped.
• In vCenter, the teaming policy is applied to vSphere portgroups which span across hosts (identical teaming policy on all hosts).
• In NSX, the teaming policy is defined in the uplink profile and an uplink profile is applied on a single host:

 

VMware vCenter 8.0 Update 3 will hide the below 'Policies' tab for NSX portgroups:

vCenter UI:  Host > Configure > Networking > VMKernel Adapters - Select [VMKNIC NUMBER] - 'Policies' tab

Resolution

Fixed in VMware vCenter 8.0 Update 3