Validation Errors for NSX Host Configuration Following NSX Manager Restoration

Products

• VMware NSX

Issue/Introduction

• NSX was restored from backup.
• In the NSX UI, under System > Fabric > Hosts, the NSX Configuration status shows: Validation Errors

  9881: Unable to fetch host hardware and network compute information associated with ########-####-####-####-############ from inventory. Error is: (vim.fault.InvalidLogin) { faultCause = null, faultMessage = null }

Note: The preceding log excerpts are only examples. Date, time, and environmental variables may vary depending on your environment.

Environment

VMware NSX

Cause

This issue typically occurs when the restored NSX Manager retains stale or desynchronized session information for the Compute Manager (vCenter) or when the internal inventory state for Transport Node Profiles (TNP) fails to reconcile with the actual state of the ESXi hosts after a restoration event. The InvalidLogin error indicates a failure in the automated service account handshake between NSX and vCenter post-restore.

Resolution

This is a condition that may occur in a VMware NSX environment.

As a workaround, implement the following steps:

1. Resolve any status error with the Compute Manager connection.
2. Trigger an update of the NSX Configuration on the affected Transport Nodes.
   • If a Transport Node Profile is attached to the cluster:
     1. Create a dummy Transport Zone:
        1. Navigate to System > Fabric > Transport Zones > Add Transport Zone.
        2. Enter a name.
        3. Leave the other fields blank or default.
     2. Add the dummy Transport Zone to the Transport Node Profile attached to the cluster:
        1. Navigate to System > Fabric > Hosts > Transport Node Profiles.
        2. Click the menu for the relevant Transport Node Profile, and Edit.
        3. Click the number under Host Switch.
        4. Click the menu for the relevant Host Switch in the pop-up, and Edit.
        5. Under Transport Zones, add the dummy Transport Zone.
        6. Click Add.
        7. Click Apply.
        8. Click Save.
     3. Monitor the status of the Transport Nodes.
        1. Navigate to System > Fabric > Hosts.
        2. Wait for the NSX Configuration to be applied on all ESXi hosts.
        3. The NSX Configuration should change to Success.
     4. Remove the dummy Transport Zone from the Transport Node Profile.
   • If no Transport Node Profile is attached to the cluster:
     1. Reapply the NSX Configuration on an affected ESXi Transport Node:
        1. Select an affected Transport Node.
        2. Click Configure NSX.
        3. Click Next.
        4. Click Finish.
     2. Monitor the status of the Transport Node.
        1. Remain under System > Fabric > Hosts.
        2. Wait for the NSX Configuration to be applied on the selected ESXi host.
        3. The NSX Configuration should change to Success.
     3. Repeat for the other affected ESXi Transport Nodes.

Additional Information

The workaround procedure triggers a rolling metadata update across the cluster. While this is generally non-disruptive to data plane traffic, it is recommended to perform these steps during a maintenance window if the environment is under heavy configuration load.