VCF Brownfield import precheck guardrail fails with multiple errors

Products

• VMware SDDC Manager / VCF Installer

Issue/Introduction

• When attempting a VCF Brownfield import of an existing vCenter into VMware Cloud Foundation 5.x, the pre-check fails with the following errors in "Failed Guardrail CSV" report found in the following path: /home/vcf/vcf-brownfield-import-5.#.#.#-########/vcf-brownfield-toolset/output/guardrails_report_<vCenter_fqdn>.csv

Object Type	Object Name	Day-N Operation	Severity Level	Status	Check Name	Description	Details	Remediation
host	<Host_Name>	ESX Upgrade	WARNING	VALIDATION_FAILED	VMs not pinned to host	Check if VMs are not pinned to host	Detected VMs are pinned to host	Please ensure the host has no pinned VMs or host has no affinity rules for vms.
cluster	<Cluster_Name>	ESX Upgrade	ERROR	VALIDATION_FAILED	Cluster Distributed Resource Scheduler (DRS)	Check if cluster has DRS enabled	Cluster should have DRS fully automated	Configure DRS to be fully automated on the cluster
cluster	<Cluster_Name>	ESX Upgrade	WARNING	VALIDATION_FAILED	ESXi upgrade policy validation across vCenter and SDDC Manager	Checks If upgrade policy configured for cluster <Cluster_Name> on vCenter match default SDDC Manager ESXi upgrade policy	Pre Remediation Power Action upgrade policy configured for cluster <Cluster_Name> on vCenter does not match default SDDC Manager ESXi upgrade policy. It has value DoNotChangeVMsPowerState in vCenter, and default value null in SDDC Manager.	Review and apply the desired upgrade policy options from the "Upgrade Options" page during "ESX Configure Update".

Environment

VCF 5.x

Cause

The brownfield import pre-check fails because the target vCenter clusters do not meet VCF lifecycle management guardrail requirements.

Resolution

Align the vCenter configuration with VCF requirements for the following guardrail check name:

1. Set vSphere DRS to Fully Automated for all clusters targeted for import.
2. Disable all Host-VM Affinity Rules. VCF does not support pinned VMs during the initial import phase.
   1. Log in to the vSphere Client and navigate to Cluster.
   2. Select the Configure tab.
   3. Under Configuration, expand DRS and click VM/Host Rules.
   4. Select the the affinity rule and click Edit.
   5. Uncheck the Enable rule or Status checkbox and click OK.
3. Configure Maintenance Mode settings:.
   1. In the vSphere client, click on vSphere client menu (☰) and select Lifecycle Manager.
   2. Under Cluster Lifecycle, select Image.
   3. Click Edit.
   4. Enable the option: Migrate powered off and suspended VMs to other hosts in the cluster, if a host must enter maintenance mode.
4. Ensure Clusters are configured to use vSphere Lifecycle Manager Images.
   
   • If Clusters are still using Baselines, convert the cluster from Baselines to Images. Follow document for more information: Convert a cluster that uses Baselines into a cluster that uses vSphere Lifecycle Manager Images
5. Validate the remediation by running the pre-check via SSH on SDDC Manager: python3 vcf_brownfield.py check --vcenter '<vcenter_fqdn>' --sso-user '[e-mail]'