renaming Transport Node Profile (TNP) in NSX-T When Applied to an Active Cluster

Products

• VMware NSX

Issue/Introduction

• Administrators may wish to rename an existing Transport Node Profile (TNP) for better organization, adherence to naming conventions, or other management purposes.
• A common concern arises when this TNP is actively applied to one or more ESXi clusters that are hosting live workloads, leading to questions about potential service disruption or operational impact.
• This article clarifies the best practice and expected impact of renaming a TNP.

Environment

VMware NSX

Cause

Administrators may wish to rename an existing Transport Node Profile (TNP) as a part of the organisational standardisation process.

Resolution

Resolution:
To rename a Transport Node Profile (TNP) without disrupting active workloads:

1. Access NSX Manager UI: Log in to the NSX Manager UI with appropriate administrative credentials.
2. Navigate to Transport Node Profiles: Go to System > Fabric > Profiles > Transport Node Profiles.
3. Identify and Select the TNP: Locate and select the Transport Node Profile you wish to rename.
4. Edit the TNP:
   • Click the Edit button (often represented by a pencil icon).
   • In the "Edit Transport Node Profile" window, modify the Display Name field to your desired new name.
   • Important: Ensure you only change the Display Name. Do not modify any other parameters of the TNP unless you intend to change its configuration, as this could trigger a reprovisioning of hosts and cause disruption.
5. Save Changes: Click Save to apply the new name.

Verification:
After renaming the TNP, perform the following checks to ensure success and no unintended side effects:

Note: You might see the host getting reconfigured, and it will come to a successful state. 

1. Confirm New Name in UI: Verify that the TNP is listed with its new display name under System > Fabric > Profiles > Transport Node Profiles.
2. Check Associated Clusters: Navigate to System > Fabric > Nodes > Host Transport Nodes and select a cluster that the TNP was applied to. Confirm that the cluster's associated TNP now shows the new display name.
3. Monitor Host Status: Check the status of the ESXi hosts within the associated clusters. They should remain in a "Success" state.
4. Validate Data Plane (Optional but Recommended): Perform a brief validation of network connectivity for a few VMs running on the affected clusters to confirm there was no impact to data plane forwarding.

 

Additional Information

Impact :

• Renaming the TNP attached to the Cluster and active workload is non-disruptive

Notes and Considerations:

• While renaming the display_name is non-disruptive; it's always good practice to perform such administrative changes during a planned maintenance window if possible, especially if your environment has complex interdependencies or custom automation.
• Always ensure you have a recent backup of your NSX Manager configuration before making any significant changes.