The VCF installer is failing at "Deploy and configure NSX" during VCF Deployment

Products

• VMware NSX

Issue/Introduction

Symptoms

• VCF installer fails at 48% during NSX deployment or configuration.
• SDDC Manager reports an error in task: "Create Transport Node Collections".
• NSX Manager UI shows host status as "Waiting for Connection to Managers".
• The domainmanager.log or NSX Manager logs show timeouts waiting for the host to join the Management Plane.

Environment

VMware Cloud Foundation 5.x

VMware Cloud Foundation 9.x 

VMware NSX

Cause

This issue occurs when the ESXi host cannot establish a registration handshake with the NSX Manager. Common causes include:

1. Network Blockage: TCP ports 1234 and 1235 are blocked by a physical firewall or security group between the ESXi management network and the NSX Manager network.
2. Time Skew: Clock drift greater than 30 seconds between ESXi and NSX Manager (Certificate validation failure).
3. Stale Configuration: Orphaned VIBs or NVDS references from a previous installation.

Resolution

1. Verify Port Connectivity:
   • Following the steps outlined in the KB "Time out waiting for host to join NSX Manager" - NSX Host install or upgrade fails at 48% due to ports blocked
     • Test the connectivity from the ESX host to the NSX Manager IPs on ports 1234 and 1235:
       
       nc -zv <NSX-Manager-IP> 1234
       nc -zv <NSX-Manager-IP> 1235
2. Verify Time Sync:
   • Following the steps outlined in the KB NSX host installation fails at 48% Waiting for connection to Managers verify time sync. 
3. Verify stale NVDS references:  Once required ports have been verified as open and time synchronization working.   Follow the steps outlined in the following KB NSX install on ESXi Transport Node fails at 48% "Waiting for Connection to Managers" due to stale NVDS reference to Identify and remove the stale NVDS references on any vmks which can also block installations. 
   
   
4. Retry the Deployment:
   • In the VCF UI to click Retry and Proceed with Deployment to continue the install. 

Additional Information