While trying to add the host to ##### DVS – we get this error - A general system error occurred: vDS host error: see faultCause Cannot create DVPort ### of VDS ###### on the host

Products

• VMware vSphere ESXi

Issue/Introduction

In this scenario:

1) The error message in this KB's title is observed, during an attempt to add a freshly installed ESXi host to a vDS (Virtual Distributed Switch, also referred to as DVS - Distributed Virtual Switch); and

2) A direct connection using the vSphere client to the ESXi host shows that there was only the standard vSwitch installed on the host, as expected with the fresh install; and

3) When viewed from the vSphere client into vCenter, the Networking icon view --> focus on the vDS in question --> Add / Manage Hosts --> Manage Host Networking --> It can be observed that vCenter believes the ESXi host has already been added to the vDS.

 

Environment

ESXi

vCenter

 

Cause

In this scenario, the issue is that vCenter believes the ESXi host is already attached to the vDS.

Reinforcing this is the fact that the Summary tab in the vCenter Networking icon view of the vDS shows a message in blue highlighting "The vSphere Distributed Switch configuration on some hosts differed from that of the vCenter Server.", with the host name being included in the output of "Show Details" on that message.

 

Resolution

• In this scenario, resolution is achieved by the following steps:

  1) From the Hosts and Clusters view of vCenter, ensure that the ESXi host is in Maintenance Mode.

  2) Then select the host and choose Connection --> Disconnect.

  3) Once the host is in a "Disconnected" state, Remove the host from Inventory.  This will resolve the  "The vSphere Distributed Switch configuration on some hosts differed from that of the vCenter Server." alarm/symptom for that host. 

  4) Then add the host back to vCenter as a standalone host (not in a Cluster).  

  5) Then, use the vCenter Networking icon wizard for the vDS --> Focus on the vDS --> Add / Manage Hosts --> Add host --> follow the correct steps to add the host.

  • NOTES: 
    
    
    • In the Physical Adapters portion of the wizard, you will need to add at least one Physical Uplink that supports the networking between vCenter and the host on the Management vmkernel interface (usually vmk0 with a fresh ESXi install, although it could be vmk2 in the case of vxRail environments, for example).
      
      
    • That Uplink cannot be the one which maintains the existing connection between vCenter and the host on the pre-existing standard vSwitch.
      
      
    • In the Virtual Adapters portion of the wizard, you will need to assign the appropriate dvPortgroup (network) for the Management vmkernel interface as part of this operation.
      
      
    • Finish the wizard and the expected result should be that the host remains in a Connected state, but now the Management vmkernel traffic is no longer flowing over the standard vSwitch networking, but rather the vDS.  

  6) After the above step, the original vmnic can be moved to "Unclaimed" in the standard switch, and then subsequently added to the NIC team via:

  • switching to the vCenter Networking icon view
  • Right-clicking on the vDS
  • Add / Manage Hosts
  • Manage Host Networking, and
  • Then adding the vmnic as the appropriate "Uplink N" under the Physical Adapters section of the wizard.

  7) At this point, you can now continue your steps normally associated with putting the host into Production (i.e. adding other vmkernel interfaces for vMotion, VSAN, etc., and then moving into a Cluster, and exiting Maintenance Mode.