Deploying NSX Manager node failing with "Timed out waiting for clustering of the VM to complete"

Products

• VMware NSX

Issue/Introduction

• When deploying NSX manager node using NSX GUI, it failed with the below error.

"Timed out waiting for clustering of the VM to complete. Since the deployment has failed, please delete this appliance and try deployment again."

• The NSX vm node gets created on the vCenter however the deployment hangs at 70% and eventually failed as timedout.
• Below logs will be seen under /var/log/proton/nsxapi.log

2025-11-11T09:50:10.489Z  WARN ActivityWorkerPool-1-15 ApplianceClusteringTask 1655352 - [nsx@6876 comp="nsx-manager" level="WARNING" subcomp="manager"] C
lustering not complete within time for node ########-0bda-####-####-###########. Exiting.
2025-11-11T09:50:10.489Z  INFO ActivityWorkerPool-1-15 DeploymentRealTimeInfoServiceImpl 1655352 SYSTEM [nsx@6876 comp="nsx-manager" level="INFO" subcomp="manager"] Updating deployment state for cluster node VM [ ########-0bda-####-####-########### with state [VM_CLUSTERING_FAILED] and errorMessage "[Timed out waiting for clustering of the VM to complete.]"

Environment

VMware NSX

Cause

Possibility of a timedout during deployment

Resolution

As a workaround, deploy the NSX manager node from vCenter using direct ova file of associated NSX version from Broadcom Download 

Once Deployed, power on the vm, wait for all services to be UP. Then join the NSX manager node into the existing cluster using https://techdocs.broadcom.com/us/en/vmware-cis/nsx/vmware-nsx/4-2/installation-guide/installing-nsx-manager-cluster-on-vsphere/install-nsx-manager-and-available-appliances/deploy-nsx-manager-nodes-to-form-a-cluster-using-cli.html 

 

If the above steps did not help, please collect the NSX Managers Support bundle and vCenter Support Bundle, contact Broadcom Support 

Additional Information

In case if Repo_Sync failed post deployment of the NSX Manager node, follow After replacing Managers or while running Upgrade prechecks, Repo_Sync is Failed