ESXi hosts show configuration mismatch in NSX with message "Cannot update TransportNode/<uuid> to remove TransportZone/<uuid> as this TransportZone has LogicalSwitches with # VIF attachments"

Products

• VMware NSX

Issue/Introduction

• An NSX Transport Node Profile is applied to the vSphere ESXi cluster
• ESXi hosts are already prepared for NSX and have been for some time
• Virtual Machines are active on ESXi hosts
• Virtual Machines are using NSX-managed networks (either Overlay or VLAN)

Environment

VMware NSX

Cause

The existing Transport Node Profile applied to the cluster originally included 1 or more Transport Zones. This was properly configured on the ESXi host and VMs were using them. Later, attempting to update the Transport Zone Profile to remove one or more Transport Zones will cause NSX to attempt to update the hosts and remove the affected Transport Zone from them. If any VMs on any hosts are using the affected Transport Zone, this error will appear and no configuration change will be pushed to the hosts.

Resolution

There are 2 resolutions depending on the ultimate goal:

1. If the Transport Zone was removed in error, add it back to the Transport Node Profile to return the environment to the intended configuration.
2. If the Transport Zone needs to be removed, move all virtual machines off the Transport Zone prior to removing the Transport Zone from the Transport Node Profile.
   
   1. To move a VM from the Transport Zone to be removed:
      1. Disconnect the VM from its current logical switch
      2. Connect the VM to a logical switch belonging to the target Transport Zone

Additional Information

For more information on Transport Node Profiles see Transport Node Profiles in the official documentation.