VM re-registration fails with error: The specified key, name, or identifier '#####' already exists

Products

• VMware vSAN

Issue/Introduction

Symptom - 

There are two scenarios:

• If there is a data node failure and you try to re-register the VM on an active data node you will get an error "The specified key, name, or identifier '#####' already exists."
• If there is a non-vSAN node failure and you try to re-register the VM on an active data node you will get an error "The specified key, name, or identifier '#####' already exists."
• VMs on the failed vSAN / non-vSAN node appears as disconnected in vCenter.

Environment

VMware vSAN 7.x

VMware vSAN 8.x

VMware ESXi 7.x

VMware ESXi 8.x

Cause

• All entities under a vCenter should have a unique name. The error is seen since the same VM name already exists under the VCDB. 

Resolution

• Remove failed host from inventory
• Register the vm's from the esxi host web ui directly.
• While registering the virtual machines, select the option "I moved it" to retain the configured management and networking features.

Additional Information

Unable to remove inaccessible datastore entry from vCenter