NSX Host Software Installation fails with alert “Failed to install software on host. Time out waiting for host to join NSX Manager" during VCF import of a brownfield environment on some hosts.

Products

• VMware NSX
• VMware vSphere ESXi
• VMware SDDC Manager / VCF Installer

Issue/Introduction

• NSX host software installation or upgrade fails with a timeout error. The user interface reports: "Failed to install software on host. Time out waiting for host to join NSX Manager."

• The /var/log/proton/proton.nsxapi.log on the NSX Manager shows the Transport Node state is pending with the failure message: failureMessage=Waiting for fabric-node installation failure to be fixed: Failed to install software on host. Time out waiting for host to join NSX Manager.

Environment

• VMware NSX
• ESXi
• VCF

Cause

The NSX Manager lacks or has lost the correct ESXi host certificate, preventing host agents from establishing a secure connection to the NSX Manager management plane.

Resolution

• Log into the NSX Manager via CLI in admin mode and retrieve the certificate thumbprint by entering the following command:

  get certificate api thumbprint

• Log into the affected ESXi host CLI as root and type 'nsxcli' at the command prompt to enter the nsx cli shell. 

•  Run the following command to push the certificate:

   push host-certificate <NSX Manager IP or VIP> username admin thumbprint <cert-api-thumbprint-of-manager> password <nsx-admin-password>

• Restart the NSX services on the ESXi host while in root mode: 

  /etc/init.d/nsx-opsagent restart 

  /etc/init.d/nsx-proxy restart 

  /etc/init.d/nsx-cfgagent restart

• From the NSX UI, navigate to System > Fabric > Hosts.Select the affected host and click Resolve under the installation failures.

• Once the host(s) report as successful in NSX, restart the task in SDDC Manager.

Additional Information

Loss of Controller Connectivity after Host Upgrade