ESXi host configuration fails with error "Unable to Set: Address not available: VSI node (459:VSI_NODE_net_tcpip_instances_vNics_unbind)" when trying to add a new vmkernel adapter.
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ESXi host configuration fails with error "Unable to Set: Address not available: VSI node (459:VSI_NODE_net_tcpip_instances_vNics_unbind)" when trying to add a new vmkernel adapter.

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Article ID: 425482

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Updated On:

Products

VMware vSphere ESXi

Issue/Introduction

When attempting to create or modify a VMkernel interface (typically for a custom TCP/IP stack like vMotion or Provisioning), the task fails with the following error message in vCenter or the ESXi host client:
An error occurred during host configuration: . Operation failed, diagnostics report: Unable to Set: Address not available: VSI node (459:VSI_NODE_net_tcpip_instances_vNics_unbind)

Environment

VMware vSphere ESXi 

Cause

This error occurs when the ESXi networking stack cannot bind the IP address to the VMkernel interface. The most common causes include:

  1. IP Address Conflict: The IP address being assigned to the new VMkernel is already in use by another interface on the same host (e.g., the Management Network).

  2. Stale VSI Nodes: A previous attempt to create the interface failed, leaving a stale entry in the Virtual Infrastructure (VSI) node tree that prevents the new address from binding.

Resolution

Step 1: Verify IP Address Uniqueness
Ensure the IP address you are assigning is not already in use on the host.

Log in to the ESXi host via SSH.

Run the following command to see all current IPv4 assignments: localcli network ip interface ipv4 get

Confirm that the IP address you are trying to use for the new vmk interface is not already assigned to vmk0 or any other interface.

Step 2: Correct the IP Assignment
If a conflict is found:

Navigate to vCenter > Host > Configure > Networking > VMkernel adapters.

Edit the failing VMkernel adapter and assign a unique, valid IP address. If the task fails again, delete the partially created VMkernel adapter and recreate it with the correct IP.

Step 2: Verify Connectivity
Once the interface is created successfully, verify the path:

Test connectivity using the specific stack
Example: vmkping -I vmkX <Destination_IP> -S vmotion --> Used to test network connectivity over vMotion stack. 

If the ping fails, verify that the vmnic uplinks are correctly mapped to the physical switch ports.

Additional Information

Understanding and troubleshooting vMotion

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