NSX "Include for upgrade" and "Exclude for upgrade" settings

Products

• VMware NSX

Issue/Introduction

When performing an NSX upgrade in environments with multiple clusters, the "Include for upgrade" and "Exclude for upgrade" options allow administrators to control which clusters are upgraded in a phased manner. If the option is toggled to exclude a cluster it may lead to an inability to initiate the NSX Manager upgrade if all hosts have not been upgraded. Any hosts which have not been upgraded will leave the "Start upgrade" button for the Managers disabled.

Environment

NSX 4.x

Cause

The issue stems from a misunderstanding of the "Include for upgrade" and "Exclude for upgrade" options. These settings are designed specifically for phased cluster upgrades and do not remove the requirement to complete host upgrades prior to the NSX Manager upgrade process.  NSX Manager upgrades remain blocked until all hosts upgrades are completed.

Resolution

For the NSX Manager upgrade to proceed, all clusters running NSX must first be upgraded to ensure compatibility and prevent any inconsistencies. This misinterpretation of the option's function led to the upgrade stalling, as all clusters need to be upgraded prior to upgrading NSX Manager.