Unable to configure an ESXi host as an NSX Transport Node as no switch is available in the configuration wizard
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Unable to configure an ESXi host as an NSX Transport Node as no switch is available in the configuration wizard

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Article ID: 419769

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Updated On:

Products

VMware NSX

Issue/Introduction

  • The ESXi host has been connected to vCenter with a Virtual Standard Switch (VSS) and may have already been added to a cluster of hosts that are already configured as Transport Nodes in NSX Manager.

  • The host appears in the NSX Manager under System > Fabric > Hosts in a "Not Configured" state.

  • When attempting to manually configure NSX on the host (by selecting the host and clicking Configure for NSX), the "DVS" (Distributed Virtual Switch) dropdown menu is empty in the wizard, preventing the selection of the required VDS

  • This may occur when the intended switch is a new vSphere Distributed Switch (VDS) configured for use in NSX environments or a Converged 

Cause

The NSX configuration wizard in NSX Manager only presents a Distributed Virtual Switch (VDS) as an option if the ESXi host has already been properly associated with that VDS in vCenter.

The root cause is that the new ESXi host, while added to the vSphere cluster, was not yet attached to the VDS properly, and physical NICs (vmnics) were not yet assigned to the VDS uplinks. Refer to Prepare a vSphere Distributed Switch for NSX

Resolution

  • Part 1: Attach the ESXi Host to the VDS in vCenter

    1. Log in to vCenter and navigate to Networking.

    2. Expand the Distributed Switches and select the VDS (or C-VDS) used for NSX networking.

    3. Right-click the VDS and select Add and Manage Hosts... .

    4. In the wizard, select the Add hosts radio button and click NEXT.

    5. In step 2, Select hosts: check the box next to the ESXi host that is currently in the Not Configured state in NSX Manager. Click OK and then NEXT.

    6. In step 3, Manage physical adapters: Select the unassigned physical NICs (vmnics) from the new host and assign them to the VDS uplinks as per your environment’s design. Ensure the correct number of vmnics are mapped to the uplinks. Click NEXT.

    7. Skip the remaining VMkernel adapters/VM networking steps 4 and 5 in the wizard by clicking NEXT.

    8. Review the summary and click FINISH at step 6, Ready to complete.

  • Part 2: Verification in vCenter

    1. Navigate back to the host in vCenter.

    2. Go to Configure > Networking > Virtual Switches.

    3. Verify that the host now lists the converged Distributed Virtual Switch in its configuration.

  • Part 3: Complete the Transport Node Configuration in NSX Manager (if cluster does not use a Transport Node Profile)

*For clusters using a Transport Node Profile (TNP), refer to Prepare ESXi Cluster Hosts as Transport Nodes by Using TNP. With a TNP, NSX Manager will automatically attempt to Configure the ESXi host as a TN when adding the node to the cluster. 
*Once the host is successfully attached to the VDS in vCenter, that switch will become available for selection in NSX Manager's ESXi Transport Node Configuration Wizard.

    1. Log in to NSX Manager.

    2. Navigate to System > Fabric > Nodes > Host Transport Nodes.

    3. Select the ESXi host that was previously in the Not Configured state and click Configure NSX.

    4. In the resulting wizard:

      • The VDS dropdown will now correctly show the converged VDS you attached the host to in Part 1.

      • Select the VDS.

      • Complete the remaining steps, including mapping the VDS uplinks (often a one-to-one mapping in converged designs) and selecting the appropriate Transport Zones.

    5. Click FINISH to start the NSX installation.

    6. Monitor the host status until it transitions to Success.

Additional Information

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