Adding ESXi host to vCenter Server fails with error "The name <ESXi-IP> already exists".

Products

• VMware vCenter Server

Issue/Introduction

Searching in the vCenter Server inventory with the ESXi hostname or the IP address doesn't show any results with the existing ESXi hostname or IP.

Environment

VMware vCenter Server

VMware vSphere ESXi

Cause

This issue happens when an ESXi host is decommissioned without first removing it from the Inventory in vCenter Server.

Resolution

Follow the steps below to fix this issue:

1. Identify the disconnected ESXi host in the vCenter Server inventory following the steps:

• Validate whether the host-ID exists in the vCenter Server inventory by checking the /var/log/vmware/vpxd/vpxd.log on the vCenter:

YYYY-MM-DDTHH:MM:SS.215+05:30 error vpxd[09198] [Originator@6876 sub=Default opID=######] [VpxLRO] -- ERROR task-11834127 --  -- host -- Folder.addStandaloneHost: :vim.fault.DuplicateName
--> Result:
--> (vim.fault.DuplicateName) {
-->    faultCause = (vmodl.MethodFault) null,
-->    faultMessage = <unset>,
-->    name = "<ESXi-IP>",
-->    object = 'vim.HostSystem:95c5726a-####-####-####-7045241fe21f:host-X'
-->    msg = ""
--> }
--> Args:
-->

• Identify the old name of the ESXi host from the vpxd.log for the above host-ID 'host-X'.

# less vpxd.log  | grep host-X
YYYY-MM-DDTHH:MM:SS.777+05:30 info vpxd[09269] [Originator@6876 sub=drmLogger item=FixNIOCViolation opID=WorkQueue-23b#####] FixNIOCViolation worker starts for host [vim.HostSystem:host-X,<Old-ESXi-hostname>]

• The old ESXi host remains disconnected in the vCenter Server inventory.

2. Remove the old ESXi host (identified as <Old-ESXi-hostname> in the vpxd.log)  from the vCenter Server inventory.

• Right-click on the disconnected host.
• Select Remove from Inventory.

3. Once the disconnected host is removed from the vCenter Server inventory, add the new ESXi host.

Additional Information

If there is an issue while removing the ESXi host from vCenter Server inventory, refer to KB Manually removing an ESXi host from the vCenter Server database to further investigate.