Unable to Create a New VMkernel Adapter on a Standard Switch - “Invalid Network Policy” or “Cannot Set Policy”

Products

• VMware vSphere ESXi

Issue/Introduction

• When attempting to create a new VMkernel adapter on a vSphere Standard Switch (vSS) using the vSphere Client, the operation fails with the following error:

  A specified parameter was not correct.

   

• In the ESXi Host Client, some hosts can successfully create the VMkernel adapter, while others fail with the same error message.

   

• The /var/log/hostd.log file records entries similar to the following:

  YYYY-MM-DDTHH:MM:SS.567Z info hostd[2101949] [Originator@6876 sub=Hostsvc opID=mh1qpqwn-44654-auto-ygf-h5:70022250-1d-85-92ae user=vpxuser:AD.<Domain>\admin.<AD Account>] Invalid NIC order: one of more PNIC specified are not uplinked to vswitch.
  YYYY-MM-DDTHH:MM:SS.567Z info hostd[2101949] [Originator@6876 sub=Hostsvc opID=mh1qpqwn-44654-auto-ygf-h5:70022250-1d-85-92ae user=vpxuser:AD.<Domain>\admin.<AD Account>] Invalid NIC teaming policy: invalid NIC order specified.
  YYYY-MM-DDTHH:MM:SS.567Z info hostd[2101949] [Originator@6876 sub=Hostsvc opID=mh1qpqwn-44654-auto-ygf-h5:70022250-1d-85-92ae user=vpxuser:AD.<Domain>\admin.<AD Account>] Invalid network policy: invalid NIC teaming policy.
  YYYY-MM-DDTHH:MM:SS.567Z info hostd[2101949] [Originator@6876 sub=Hostsvc.NetworkVmkSimulator opID=mh1qpqwn-44654-auto-ygf-h5:70022250-1d-85-92ae user=vpxuser:AD.<Domain>\admin.<AD Account>] Cannot set policy for vswitch [vSwitchUSB], network policy is invalid: (vim.host.NetworkPolicy) {
  -->    security = (vim.host.NetworkPolicy.SecurityPolicy) {
  -->       allowPromiscuous = false,
  -->       macChanges = false,
  -->       forgedTransmits = false
  -->    },
  -->    nicTeaming = (vim.host.NetworkPolicy.NicTeamingPolicy) {
  -->       policy = "loadbalance_srcid",
  -->       reversePolicy = true,
  -->       notifySwitches = true,
  -->       rollingOrder = false,
  -->       failureCriteria = (vim.host.NetworkPolicy.NicFailureCriteria) {
  -->          checkSpeed = "minimum",
  -->          speed = 10,
  -->          checkDuplex = false,
  -->          fullDuplex = false,
  -->          checkErrorPercent = false,
  -->          percentage = 0,
  -->          checkBeacon = false
  -->       },
  -->       nicOrder = (vim.host.NetworkPolicy.NicOrderPolicy) {
  -->          activeNic = (string) [
  -->             "vusb0"
  -->          ],
  -->       }
  -->    },
  -->    offloadPolicy = (vim.host.NetOffloadCapabilities) {
  -->       csumOffload = true,
  -->       tcpSegmentation = true,
  -->       zeroCopyXmit = true
  -->    },
  -->    shapingPolicy = (vim.host.NetworkPolicy.TrafficShapingPolicy) {
  -->       enabled = false,
  -->    }
  --> }.

Environment

 

• VMware ESXi 7.0

• VMware ESXi 8.0

 

 

Cause

This issue occurs when an additional virtual switch named vSwitchUSB exists on the host.
The presence of this USB-based vSwitch conflicts with the creation of new VMkernel adapters on vSwitch0.

This vSwitch typically appears on HPE or Dell servers that include built-in USB NICs.
In most cases, vSwitchUSB can be safely removed without impacting the ESXi host; however, you should verify with the hardware vendor (HPE or Dell) before deleting it.

Resolution

1. Delete the vSwitchUSB switch.

   • If deletion fails in the vSphere Client, try using the ESXi Host Client.

   • Alternatively, delete it via the ESXi shell with the following command:

      

     esxcli network vswitch standard remove -v vSwitchUSB

2. Recreate the VMkernel adapter on the intended vSwitch (for example, vSwitch0) after removal.

Additional Information

 

The invalid policy messages in the logs (such as “Invalid NIC order” or “Cannot set policy for vswitch”) are side effects of the vSwitchUSB NIC teaming configuration, which references physical NICs not uplinked to the main vSwitch.

Once the USB-based vSwitch is removed, new VMkernel adapters can be created normally.

 

The virtual machines are observed to undergo a reboot sequence at specific intervals.