Manually set static MAC address of 00:0c:29:xx:xx to vNIC.

Products

• VMware vCenter Server

Issue/Introduction

According to When changing the MAC address of a virtual machine from Manual to Automatic, 00:0c:29:xx:xx is set instead of 00:50:56:xx:xx, vNIC MAC address could be auto assigned to 00:0c:29:XX:XX:XX in earlier release because of system bug, and could attach to vNIC after vCenter upgrade.

Manually setting such MAC address as static would cause VM fail to power on due to MAC address OUI(Organizationally Unique Identifier) restriction. The error message should be:

Impermissible static Ethernet address:'00:0c:29:XX:XX:XX'. It conflicts with VMware reserved MACs.

 

Resolution

1. Power off VM from vSphere Client.
2. Visit VM edit page. Check which vNIC the MAC is from.
3. Click "Advanced Parameters". Enter "ethernet<vNIC Number minus 1>.CheckMACAddress" at Attribute textbox. Enter "FALSE" at Value text box. Click "ADD".
   • Example:
   • If it appears to be Network Adapter 1, then enter "ethernet0.CheckMACAddress" at Attribute textbox.
4. Click "Virtual Hardware". Unfold Network adapter configuration. Change MAC Address type from "Automatic" to "Manual". Enter MAC address. Click "OK".
5. Open SSH session to the host VM resides at.
6. Change directory to VM folder.

   cd /vmfs/volumes/<VM-located-Datastore>/<VM-Name>/

7. Open VM configuration file.

   vi <VM-Name>.vmx

8. Enter "i" to edit file.
   • Replace ethernetX.addressType = "vpx" to ethernetX.addressType = "static".
   • Add ethernet0.address = "00:0c:29:XX:XX:XX".
   • Enter ":" and "wq!" to save file and quit.
9. Collect VM ID at the first column of output.

   vim-cmd vmsvc/reload | grep <VM-Name>

10. Reload VM.

    vim-cmd vmsvc/reload <VM-ID>

11. Power on VM.

Additional Information

This workaround should only be used when necessary. Please avoid using MAC address of 00:0c:29:XX:XX:XX in case of MAC address conflict.