Migration of Host Transport Node vTEP interfaces from DHCP to Static IP pool, or vice versa

Products

• VMware NSX

Issue/Introduction

• ESXi hosts have been prepared for NSX as Host Transport Nodes. 
• Host vTEP interfaces are getting IP address assigned through DHCP. 
• You need to reconfigure the IP assignment from DHCP to IP Pool.
• IP pool assignment for host's vTEP interfaces is one of the following:
  • Use DHCP
  • Use IP Pool
  • (Use Static IP List -> option is only available for configuration of a single host).

Environment

VMware NSX

Resolution

To migrate the vTEP interfaces from DHCP to IP Pool, please follow the steps below:

1. Please make sure you have configured IP Pool, with sufficient number of IP addresses in the pool (one IP address is required per host vTEP interface (e.g. if there is 25 host transport nodes in the cluster, and each host has two vTEP interfaces, you will need 50 IP addresses in the IP Pool)).
   
   
2. If the cluster does have a Transport Node Profile attached (host configuration is defined in the Transport Node Profile):
   
   1. In NSX UI, browse to:
      System -> Networking -> Hosts -> Transport Node Profiles
   2. Identify and edit the profile, where you change the IP(v4 or v6) Assignment from "DHCP" to "IP Pool" and select the newly created IP pool (created in step (1.) above).
   3. Click on "ADD", and then "APPLY". 
   4. VTEPs will be re-created on the desired configuration. 
      Note: this configuration will be applied to all hosts in the cluster. 
      
      
3. If the cluster doesn't have a Transport Node Profile attached (hosts are configured individually):
   1. In NSX UI, browse to:
      System -> Networking -> Hosts
   2. Select the host you would like to reconfigure.
   3. Use the "CONFIGURE NSX" button.
   4. In the wizard, use the 3 vertical dots to edit the host switch.
   5. Change the IP(v4 or v6) Assignment from "DHCP" to "IP Pool", and select the IP pool created for this purpose (in step (1.) above).
   6. Click on "ADD", and then "APPLY". 
   7. Host vTEPs will be re-created on the desired configuration.

Note: This change requires re-creation of host's vTEP interfaces, which will result in brief connectivity downtime on the workloads actively consuming these interfaces (e.g. BFD tunnels, and connectivity of VMs connected to Overlay networks on the hosts that are being reconfigured). VMware by Broadcom recommend to carry out this change during maintenance window, or while the relevant hosts are in Maintenance mode. 

Additional Information

Also see the following sections in VMware NSX 4.2 Documentation: 

• Common - Create an IP Pool.
• Transport Node Profiles.
• Prepare ESXi Individual Hosts as Transport Nodes.

VMware vSphere documentation:

• Place a Host in Maintenance Mode.