VCF Import validation Fails with 'nsx-deployment-cluster-size-validator' Due to Case-Sensitive FQDN

Products

• VMware SDDC Manager
• VMware Cloud Foundation
• VMware vCenter Server

Issue/Introduction

• When performing a VMware Cloud Foundation (VCF) import or upgrade, the precheck validation fails , yielding the error: 'Validator 'nsx-deployment-cluster-size-validator' failed internally for  <vCenter.example.com>"
• Error in /var/log.vmware/vcf/operationsmanager/operationsmanager.log:

  ERROR [vcf_om,###################,3cee] [c.v.v.b.p.t.v.SimpleNativeValidator,precheck-validation5] Native validator with name 'nsx-deployment-cluster-size-validator' failed internally. Reference token: ######
  com.vmware.evo.sddc.common.client.vmware.vsphere.VsphereOperationException: Cannot find VC VM reference
          at com.vmware.evo.sddc.common.client.vmware.vsphere.VcManagerBase.lambda$getClusterNameOfTheMgmtVc$48(VcManagerBase.java:7026)
          at java.base/java.util.Optional.orElseThrow(Optional.java:403)
          at com.vmware.evo.sddc.common.client.vmware.vsphere.VcManagerBase.getClusterNameOfTheMgmtVc(VcManagerBase.java:7026)
          at com.vmware.vcf.baseliner.cross.validator.NsxDeploymentClusterSizeValidator.validateNsxDeployment(NsxDeploymentClusterSizeValidator.java:85)

Environment

VMware Cloud Foundation

Cause

This issue is caused by a case-sensitivity mismatch in the vCenter's Fully Qualified Domain Name (FQDN) between its DNS record and its actual configuration.  If there is a case mismatch (e.g., vCenter.Example.com vs. vcenter.example.com), the validator fails to identify the vCenter VM, leading to a "Cannot find VC VM reference" exception.

Resolution

This is a known issue and is resolved in future VCF release

To resolve this issue without the patch, you must ensure the FQDN used in your VCF specification exactly matches the case-sensitive hostname configured on the vCenter Server and its corresponding DNS records.

1. Identify the Correct Case Format - SSH into the vCenter Server Appliance (VCSA) using root credentials. Run the following command to retrieve the exact, case-sensitive FQDN:
   

   hostname -f
   

   
   Note the exact casing of the output (e.g., all lowercase or specific capitalized letters).
2. Validate DNS Consistency. Run a lookup for the FQDN found in Step 1. Compare this against the FQDN provided in your VCF import specification or the error log.

   nslookup <vCenter_FQDN_from_step_1>

   
   
   
3. If a case-sensitivity mismatch is found between the VCSA hostname and your DNS provider, update the DNS records:
   
   
   1. Log in to your DNS Management System (e.g., AD DNS, Bind, or Registrar).
   2. Locate the A Record for the vCenter Server.
   3. Edit the record:
      1. 1. Find the "Edit" or pencil icon next to the record.
         2. Modify the record's name field to precisely match the FQDN (including case) obtained from the hostname -f command in Step 1.
   4. Alternatively, if direct editing is not feasible or preferred, delete the existing incorrect record and create a new one:
      • 1. Look for a button like "+ Add Record."
        2. Select the appropriate record type (e.g., A record for IPv4, AAAA for IPv6, or CNAME if applicable).
        3. Fill in the required fields, ensuring the name precisely matches the FQDN (including case) from Step 1.
        4. Save the changes to apply the modifications
4.  Once the DNS record, and the VCSA system hostname are perfectly aligned in case, retry the Task