Error when deploying NKP into a single host that is not part of a cluster

Products

• VMware vSphere ESXi

Issue/Introduction

Single host outside a cluster at the Datacenter Level not able to use vSphere Native Key Provider (NKP)

Environment

vCenter 7.x

vCenter 8.x

ESXi 7.x

ESXi 8.x

Cause

vSphere Native Key Provider (NKP) requires host(s) to reside inside a Cluster Object

Resolution

Hosts must be inside a vSphere cluster object.

However, you can put a single host inside a vCenter Server cluster object to leverage NKP

 

From vSphere Client >Hosts and Clusters Menu > Datacenter Object >  Right Click on Datacenter Object and create new cluster > Define cluster naming convention in pop-up menu and complete 

Next Go to Single host that resides at the Datacenter Object and drag and drop into Cluster object that was created

The vSphere Native Key Provider (NKP) can now be utilized on the Single host

Additional Information

https://www.vmware.com/docs/vsphere-native-key-provider-nkp-questions-answers