VCF 9.0 Installer bringup workflow fails at the NFS Datastore Configuration task and then at the ESX Host Configuration task

Products

• VMware SDDC Manager / VCF Installer

Issue/Introduction

• The VCF 9.0 Installer bring-up workflow fails at the NFS Datastore Configuration task.

• The error displayed on UI as below,

"Failed to validate NFS configuration for <hostname>: An error occurred during host configuration:."

• The error observed in /var/log/vmware/vcf/domainmanager/domainmanager.log - 

  Unable to create VM kernel NIC vmk## with MTU 9000 and port group NFS on ESXi host <hostname>: Invalid vswitch port group name NFS. Error was: Unable to get node: Not found: VSI node (####:)

Environment

VCF 9.x

VVF 9.x

Cause

This issue can be encountered if the follow scenario has occurred - 

• The NFS Datastore has already been mounted to the all the ESX hosts using the portgroup name specified in the bringup json file, prior to the bringup workflow being initiated.
• The bringup workflow is initiated.
• The NFS Datastore Configuration task failure error outlined above is encountered.
• The NFS Datastore is attempted to be unmounted, but cannot be as the VCF Installer bringup workflow requires it to be mounted.
• The portgroup name is then changed and the NFS Datastore Configuration task succeeds once, and fails again
• Subsequently, ESX Host Configuration task failure error outlined above is encountered.

Resolution

Perform a redeployment with reimaged hosts.

Note: Do not mount the NFS Datastore to all the ESX hosts prior to the bring-up workflow being initiated.