The operation is not supported on the object. Not allowed to remove nsxBacked host XXXXX from dvs YYYYY

Products

• VMware vSphere ESXi

Issue/Introduction

When trying to remove a host using the Add / Manage hosts function of vCenter --> Networking --> ZZZZZ, you receive a failed like the following in the Task Console of vCenter:

• Where ZZZZZ is the name of the vDS you are working with
• Task name --> "Reconfigure vSphere Distributed Switch"
• Status --> "The operation is not supported on the object.  Not allowed to remove nsxBacked host XXXXX from dvs YYYYY, please remove NSX configuration from the host before removing the host from the dvs." (Where the host name is seen instead of XXXXX and the vDS name is seen instead of YYYYY)

This occurs when at some point in the past, the host had been added to an NSX Transport zone.

Environment

vCenter

ESXi

Cause

Even though the host may no longer have any active dvPortgroups associated with its membership in the vDS, this message indicates that at some point in the past, the host was added to an NSX Transport zone.

Resolution

Please follow the process described in Troubleshooting VMware NSX Uninstall Process

After NSX has been removed from the host, repeat the attempt to remove the host using the Add / Manage hosts function of vCenter --> Networking --> ZZZZZ (where ZZZZZ is the name of the vDS)