ESXi host images upgrade to 9.0.1 is throwing the error "Spherelet solution is not set in cluster domain-c##" from SDDC prechck

Products

• VMware vSphere Kubernetes Service

Issue/Introduction

 

• The ESXi host images upgrade to 9.0.1 is throwing the error "Spherelet solution is not set in cluster domain-c##" from SDDC precheck.
• The SDDC manager Precheck showing the following:
  
  
  

Status     Warning

Message    The following VIBs on the host are missing from the image and will be removed from the host during remediation: spherelet(9.0.1.30.5.0-24526496).

Remediation    To prevent them from being removed, include appropriate components that are equivalent to these VIBs. If this is seen while switching from using Baselines to using Images, please refer to KB 90188.

Environment

VMware vSphere Kubernetes Service.

Cause

• During transition of a vSphere Cluster from VUM to vLCM desired state will not have solution set, due to this Image Compliance Check may result in drift and reporting VIB removal warnings. See KB Switching from using Baselines to Images (vLCM) may result in drift and report VIB/Component Removal Notifications.
• The Spherelet vip is missing from the 9.0.1  upgrade image. Only during the upgrade of the superviser cluster the Spherelet VIB  will get upgraded on every ESXi host and not during esxi vSphere upgrade. SeeUpgrade a Supervisor.
• Spherelet is  an additional process created on each host. It is a kubelet that is ported natively to ESX and allows the ESX host to become part of the Kubernetes cluster.

Resolution

• Please check if the  Spherelet VIB  displayed in the notification message matches with Spherelet VIB listed in the Solution Removal Notification Table and take Recommended Action described below.
  
  Solution Removal Notification Table:
  

• When ssh to the esxi host  and running the following command, we confirmed that  the spherelet vib  version 9.0.1.30.5.0-24526496  is installed.

  #  esxcli software vib list | grep spherelet
spherelet                      9.0.1.30.5.0-24526496                       VMware  VMwareCertified   2025-10-29    host 

• Since the esxi host is part of superviser cluster in  VMware vSphere Kubernetes Service  deployment, then the  corresponding solution's removal notifications can be ignored and will disappear after switching from Baselines to Images as the solution will now be set as part of the desired state.
• Once remediation of  the esxi host completed the Spherelet vip still will  show installed on the esxi host ,and on the superviser cluster side the esxi host will show in Ready state when running the following command:
  
  #kubectl get node

NAME                               STATUS   ROLES                  AGE   VERSION
422d24e636a9708f5c51a51473219082   Ready    control-plane,master   93d   v1.30.10+vmware.1-fips
422d5c72de2482ea4e91fb0c7152350e   Ready    control-plane,master   93d   v1.30.10+vmware.1-fips
422dc584a0993279088ece305e6637cd   Ready    control-plane,master   93d   v1.30.10+vmware.1-fips
esxi01.domain.local                Ready    agent                  93d   v1.30.5-sph-806add6
esxi02.domain.local                   Ready    agent                  93d   v1.30.5-sph-806add6
esxi03.domain.local                   Ready    agent                  93d   v1.30.5-sph-806add6
esxi04.domain.local                   Ready    agent                  93d   v1.30.5-sph-806add6
  
  

Note: If there other vibs that showing in-compliance and not only the Spherelet vip then please open an case with Broadcom Support for further assistance.