Best Practices for changing the IP address of vCenter server

Products

• VMware vCenter Server
• VMware vCenter Server 7.0
• VMware vCenter Server 8.0

Issue/Introduction

This article provides best practices for changing the IP address of vCenter. 

Environment

VMware vCenter Server 6.5.x
VMware vCenter Server 6.7.x
VMware vCenter Server 7.x
VMware vCenter Server 8.x
VMware vCenter Server 9.0.x

Resolution

Follow these Best Practices when making IP address changes to vCenter Server: 

• Take an offline (powered off) snapshot of the vCenter server prior to making any networking changes.
  • If the vCenter Server is in Enhanced Linked Mode (ELM), make sure to perform offline snapshots for every one of the VCSAs in linked mode at the same time.
• Verify that the system name of the appliance is an FQDN and not an IP address.
  • The system name is used as primary network identifier (PNID).
  • Reconfigure the Primary Network Identifier
• Ensure forward/reverse DNS entries have been created for the new IP address of vCenter.
• If the vCenter Server is connected via a Distributed Switch, move it to a Standard switch or create a new Distributed Port Group with "ephemeral" port binding.
  • vCenter Server manages the Distributed Switch, creating a circular dependency. Changing the IP address of vCenter while on a Distributed Switch will cause network loss.
  • For details on ephemeral port binding, see article:  Static (non-ephemeral) or ephemeral port binding on a vSphere Distributed Switch
• Second and third party solutions must be re-registered following any IPv4 or IPv6 address change.

Additional Information

Configure the DNS, IP Address, and Proxy Settings

Also ensure to verify runtime settings on vCenter: Verify that the vCenter Server managed address field is reflecting the NEW IP address using the following KB:

Changing vCenter Server IP address causes ESXi hosts to disconnect