Unable to add distributed portgroup for a VM's network adaptor in ESXi host client where ESXi host is in disconnected state in vCenter

Products

• VMware vSphere ESXi

Issue/Introduction

• The below error is received while adding network adaptor to the VM:
• 
• The assigned portgroup is part of Distributed switch.

Environment

VMware ESXi

Cause

• The host is in disconnected state in vCenter which means that the vCenter to ESXi host communication is lost.
• If vCenter to host communication is lost, VMs will not be able to be reconfigured to static (also known as non-ephemeral) port groups on the Distributed switch because vCenter is unavailable to give the VM a port binding. In this instance, the user will see the following error:
  
  Addition or reconfiguration of network adapters attached to non-ephemeral distributed virtual port groups is not supported.

Resolution

The workaround for these VMs is to add them to a standard switch if vCenter to host communication is not possible or to an existing ephemeral portgroup on a host.

Additional Information

Refer the following document to create standard switch for ESXi host:

https://techdocs.broadcom.com/us/en/vmware-cis/vsphere/vsphere/8-0/vsphere-networking-8-0/setting-up-networking-with-vnetwork-standard-switches/create-a-vsphere-standard-switch.html

Refer the following article to know about Static and Ephemeral port binding:

https://knowledge.broadcom.com/external/article?articleId=324492