NSX Configuration Fails on ESXi 8 Autodeploy Host Downgraded from Version 9

Products

• VMware vCenter Server

Issue/Introduction

NSX fails to configure a stateless autodeploy ESXi host that was rolled back from version 9 to version 8. During host preparation, the NSX Manager Web UI displays the following validation failure errors:
"Node has invalid version 9.0.2.0-8.0.25150387 of software nsx-monitoring."
"Node has invalid version 9.0.2.0-8.0.25150387 of software nsx-vdpi."

Environment

NSX 9
VMware ESXi 8.0

Cause

The ESXi 8 autodeploy image incorrectly included NSX 9 VIBs, preventing the NSX manager from auto-deploying the correct NSX 4.x VIBs required for an ESXi 8.0 host. While ESXi 9 natively includes baked-in NSX VIBs, ESXi 8 does not. When an ESXi 8.0 host connects to an NSX 9 manager, the manager expects to push NSX 4.x VIBs to it. The pre-existing NSX 9 VIBs in the manually modified image create a version conflict, triggering the validation failure.

Resolution

• Edit the ESXi 8.0 autodeploy image profile to remove the incompatible NSX 9 VIBs.

• Reboot the stateless ESXi host using the corrected image.

• Verify the NSX Manager automatically pushes the correct NSX 4.x VIBs and completes the host configuration successfully.