"Move host into cluster" operation cannot be performed because it has been configured as a failover host for a cluster

Products

• VMware vCenter Server

Issue/Introduction

• When attempting to move the cluster, the operation fails with the following error:

The current operation cannot be performed on the host 'ESXi Host' because it has been configured as a failover host for a cluster.

• The affected host was previously designated as a failover host.
• Admission Control is currently disabled.

Environment

vCenter Server 8.x

Cause

Even after Admission Control is disabled, the failover host configuration for the target host remains, so it is still identified as a failover host.

In the vSphere Client, go to Cluster that the target ESXi belongs to -> Configure -> vSphere Availability -> Edit -> Admission Control.

By changing [Define host failover capacity by] from [Disable] to [Dedicated failover hosts], you can check whether the target host is listed in the Failover Hosts list.

Resolution

Temporarily change [Define host failover capacity by] to [Cluster resource percentage] (or a similar option), and then change it back to [Disable].