ESX virtual host IP address unexpectedly changes during VM suspend, resume, or snapshot revert operations

Products

• VMware vSphere ESXi

Issue/Introduction

In some environments, nested ESX hosts using DHCP-based IP configuration might experience unexpected IP address changes during VM suspend, resume, or snapshot revert operations. 

Environment

VMware vSphere ESXi

 

Cause

The issue occurs when NTP time synchronization introduces a significant time drift, causing the DHCP lease renewal to fail before lease expiration. As a result, the DHCP lease expires and the IP address is released and reassigned, leading to temporary connectivity loss.

Resolution

Use a stable NTP server and configure longer DHCP lease duration and renewal timers to ensure sufficient margin for successful lease renewal during transient network events.