Hosts is a Two node cluster keeps going into Not Responding state.

Products

• VMware vCenter Server

Issue/Introduction

Hosts in a two node cluster keeps going into Not Responding state within few minutes after connecting them to vCenter Server.

 

In ESXi Logs you see errors similar to below.

 

Log File: /var/run/log/vpxa.log

[YYYY-MM-DDTHH:MM:SS] error vpxa [27292765] [Originator@6876 sub=PropertyCache opID=WFU-3f9b42ab update=1452] Failed to diff ha-host:network, had ManagedObjectReference[], got ManagedObjectReference []
[YYYY-MM-DDTHH:MM:SS] info vpxa [27292765] [Originator@6876 sub=vpxaInvtHost opID=WFU-3f9b42ab update=1452] Increment master gen. no to (231) : HostConfig:VpxaInvtHostListener: : HostChanged (network)
[YYYY-MM-DDTHH:MM:SS] info vpxa [27292773] [Originator@6876 sub=vpxaInvtHost opID=WFU-1945e2e update=1453] Increment master gen. no to (232) : HostConfig:VpxaInvtHostListener: : HostChanged (network)
[YYYY-MM-DDTHH:MM:SS] error vpxa [27292760] [Originator@6876 sub=PropertyCache opID-WFU-33b31ed1 update=1454] Failed to diff ha-host:network, had ManagedObjectReference[], got ManagedObjectReference []

 

Environment

VMware vSphere ESXi 8.x

VMware vCenter Server 8.x

Cause

Admission control has been enabled in HA settings on a Two node cluster which is not supported. You need at least 3 ESXi nodes in a cluster to enable and use Admission Control.

Resolution

Follow the below steps to resolve the issue.

 

Disable Admission control.

1. Log in to the vSphere Client.
2. From the Inventory screen, click on Hosts and Clusters.
3. Browse to the cluster.
4. Click the Configure tab.
5. Select vSphere Availability and click Edit.
6. Click on Admission Control tab and click Edit.
7. Select "Define host failover capacity by" to Disabled from Dropdown.

 

Restart VPXA and VPXD services on ESXi hosts and vCenter Server Server.

For both ESXi hosts in the cluster.

1.  Access ESXi host using SSH as root.
2.  Run the below command.
   # /etc/init.d/vpxa restart

On vCenter Server.

1. Access vCenter Server through SSH as Root.

2. Run this command to enable access the Bash shell:

   # shell.set --enabled true

3. Run the below command.
   # service-control --stop vpxd && service-control --start vpxd