Error: "Solution specification in the image are incompatible with hosts" when applying NSX Solution

Products

• VMware vSphere ESXi

Issue/Introduction

During the migration of an ESXi host between clusters, the "Apply NSX Solution" task fails while attempting to prepare the host in NSX. The environment utilizes vSphere Lifecycle Manager (vLCM) in Image-based mode (Desired Image).

The operation fails with the following error:
A general system error occurred: Solution specification in the image are incompatible with hosts '<INTERNAL_IP_REDACTED>'

Environment

vCenter Server 8.0 
VMware ESXi 8.0 
VMware NSX 4.2.X

Cause

This behavior is expected when there is an incompatibility between the Vendor Addon defined in the cluster's Desired Image and the physical hardware of the newly added host (e.g., migrating a Dell host into a cluster with a Lenovo Vendor Addon). In a vLCM Image-based cluster, the Desired Image is strictly enforced. When disparate hardware is introduced, the vLCM compliance pre-check fails. Because NSX relies on vLCM to orchestrate the installation of its VIBs in an image-managed cluster, this compliance failure prevents the NSX host preparation workflow from completing.

Resolution

 

1. Temporarily detach the vLCM Desired Image from the target cluster to suspend vLCM image compliance enforcement.

2. Proceed with the host migration and NSX host preparation. With the image detached, NSX will bypass vLCM and successfully install the required VIBs directly onto the host.

3. Complete the hardware migration of the legacy hosts until the cluster reaches a homogeneous hardware state.

4. Define and apply a new vLCM Desired Image with the correct Vendor Addon for the new hardware profile to resume standard lifecycle operations.

 

Additional Information

Detaching the Desired Image is a supported operational workaround during transitional migration phases. A single vLCM Desired Image cannot support multiple divergent Vendor Addons simultaneously.