SDDC Manager cluster deployment fails during vmk0 migration to Distributed Virtual Switch (DVS)
Article ID: 442488
Updated On:
Products
Issue/Introduction
You are deploying a new Workload Cluster through VMware Cloud Foundation (VCF). During this deployment process, the Management VMkernel adapter (vmk0) on the ESXi host fails to migrate from the vSphere Standard Switch (vSS) to the Distributed Virtual Switch (DVS). The workflow stops and rolls back the network configuration to prevent a total loss of host connectivity.
Symptoms
- The SDDC Manager UI displays the error: "
Migrate ESX host management vmknic(s) to vSphere Distributed Switch– unable to proceed further." - In vCenter Server, you see the event: "An error occurred while communicating with the remote host. Network configuration change disconnected the host '####' from vCenter server and has been rolled back."
- The host temporarily shows as "Not Responding" or "Disconnected" during the migration task.
Environment
VMware Cloud Foundation (VCF)
SDDC Manager
VMware vSphere ESXi
Cause
The issue occurs because the physical network uplink (e.g., vmnic3) lacks connectivity to the required Management VLAN on the physical switch port. When VCF attempts to migrate vmk0 to the DVS, the lack of VLAN accessibility causes the host to lose management connectivity. vCenter Server detects this loss of communication and triggers a safety rollback to the original vSS configuration.
Resolution
To resolve this issue, you must ensure the physical network environment matches the VCF deployment requirements:
- Identify the physical uplink adapter being used for the migration (e.g., vmnic3).
- Coordinate with your internal network team to verify the physical switch port configuration for that adapter.
- Apply the correct VLAN configuration (ensuring the Management VLAN is allowed/tagged) on the physical switch port.
- Verify that the native VLAN settings match your network design (e.g., ensuring it does not default to an incorrect VLAN).
- Once the physical network remediation is complete, re-run the failed deployment workflow in SDDC Manager.
Additional Information
As this issue pertains to physical network infrastructure, please refer to your hardware vendor's documentation for specific switch port configuration commands.
Related Articles:
Unable to add hosts in SDDC Manager with Error : "Failed to configure vswitch to DVS vmknic migration on host"
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