Unable to re-connect Host with an associated host profile as the cluster is managed by vSphere Configuration Profiles

Products

• VMware vSphere ESXi

Issue/Introduction

• Error while trying to connect host to VC :  

Host cannot be added to the cluster.
Host <hostname.example.com> with an associated host profile cannot be added to the cluster managed by vSphere Configuration Profiles.

• Host previously was configured with host profile and later the cluster was converted to vSphere Configuration Profiles.
• /var/log/vmware/vpxd/vpxd.log will complain about host reconnect failing due to attached host profile on the host as the Cluster is configured for vSphere Configuration Profiles.

YYYY-MM-DDtHH:MM warning vpxd[06987] [Originator@6876 sub=Vmomi opID=mf3rekpb-391340-auto-8dyl-h5:########-31] VMOMI activation LRO failed; <<52d2####-####-####-####-############, <TCP '127.0.0.1 : 8085'>, <TCP '127.0.0.1 : 48008'>>, host-<Host_MOID>, vim.HostSystem.reconnect, <vim.version.v8_0_3_0, internal, 8.0.3.0>, (null)>, N3Vim5Fault25NotSupportedHostInCluster9ExceptionE(Fault cause: vim.fault.NotSupportedHostInCluster
2025-09-09T09:01:27.007Z error vpxd[06987] [Originator@6876 sub=Default opID=mf3rekpb-391340-auto-8dyl-h5:########-31] [VpxLRO] -- ERROR task-15289754 -- 52d2####-####-####-####-############(52d0####-####-####-####-############) -- <Host_MOID> -- vim.HostSystem.reconnect: :vim.fault.NotSupportedHostInCluster
--> Result:
--> (vim.fault.NotSupportedHostInCluster) {
-->    faultCause = (vmodl.MethodFault) null,
-->    faultMessage = (vmodl.LocalizableMessage) [
-->       (vmodl.LocalizableMessage) {
-->          key = "com.vmware.vim.host.error.hostProfileAttached",
-->          arg = (vmodl.KeyAnyValue) [
-->             (vmodl.KeyAnyValue) {
-->                key = "host",
-->                value = "hostname.example.com"

Environment

• vCenter 7.x, 8.x
• ESXi 7.x, 8.x

Cause

• vSphere configuration profiles and Host profiles do not work together. If the host was already part of the cluster while the vSphere configuration profiles was configured, the host profile should get automatically removed from the hosts.
• If the host profile was not automatically removed from the host after vSphere configuration profiles was configured, the host can no longer be re-connected to the vCenter due to incompatible configuration.

Resolution

Option 1

1. Move the affected host(s) out of the cluster. Note: Proceed with Option 2 if the cluster has vSAN, NSX or other functionality that would be disrupted by moving the host out of the cluster. 
   
   
2. Right click the cluster, select Host Profiles > Detach Host Profile.
   
   
3. Right click the host(s), select Host Profiles > Detach Host Profile.
   
   
4. Move the host(s) back into the cluster. 
   
   
5. If the host is still disconnected, right click the host and select Connection > Connect and enter the required information. 

Option 2

Note: Take backup of the vCenter Server Appliance before proceeding.

1. Stop the vpxd service on the vCenter Server.

service-control --stop vmware-vpxd

2. Connect to vCenter Server postgres database.

/opt/vmware/vpostgres/current/bin/psql -U postgres -d VCDB

3. Identify the ESXi host ID in the vCenter database with this command:

select * from vpx_entity where name='host1.example.com';

  Example, the affected Host in question is host1.example.com. This host returns the below output when the select statement is executed.

VCDB-#select * from vpx_entity where name='host1.example.com';
id   |         name    | type_id | parent_id

------+--------------------+---------+-----------

12345 | host1.example.com  |       2 |     84848

67890 | host2.example.com  |       1 |     48484

4. To find profile_id (host profile id) to entity_id (host entity id) association, refer the vpx_profile_entity_association table by running the command:

select * from vpx_profile_entity_association;

  Example:

VCDB-# select * from vpx_profile_entity_association;

profile_id | entity_id

----------+---------

301 | 12345

5. Run the following command to remove the Host profile association from the host. 

delete from vpx_profile_entity_association where entity_id=<host_entity_id>;

  Example:

VCDB=# delete from vpx profile_entity_association where entity_id=12345;
DELETE 1

6. Quit VCDB by running \q

7. Start the vpxd service on the vCenter Server:

service-control --start vmware-vpxd

8. Attempt to re-connect the host to the vCenter Server.

Additional Information

Using vSphere Configuration Profiles to Manage Host Configuration at a Cluster Level