Host Validation Fails with error: "host###: Found [VMkernel] portgroups on vSphere standard switch. Allowed portgroups must be [Management Network] in SDDC

Products

• VMware vCenter Server
• VMware SDDC Manager / VCF Installer
• VMware Cloud Foundation

Issue/Introduction

When attempting to commission a host in VMware Cloud Foundation (VCF) SDDC Manager, the validation task fails with the following error:

Found [VMkernel] portgroups on vSphere standard switch. Allowed portgroups must be [Management Network]

This issue specifically triggers during the host validation phase of the commissioning workflow.

Environment

VMware Cloud Foundation 5.2.3

Cause

The ESXi host was manually added to vCenter Server prior to running the host commissioning validations in SDDC Manager. This manual addition alters the standard switch (VSS) configuration or introduces additional port groups, violating SDDC Manager's strict prerequisite that only the default "Management Network" port group can exist on the standard switch prior to commissioning.

Resolution

Workaround:

 

1. Go to vCenter and navigate to the Host > Configure > Virtual Switches.

2. Expand the VSS and confirm if the port group label for the Management interface is VM Network or another non-standard name.

3. If not specifically named Management Network, select the three dots next to this port group and edit the name to Management Network (case-sensitive).

4. Return to the SDDC Manager UI and retry the host validation and commissioning workflow. 

Additional Information

Commission Hosts