Reinstall ESXi host in vSAN cluster after a rollback to previous build did not work.

Products

• VMware vSAN

Issue/Introduction

• ESXi host upgraded to newer build and would like to rollback to previous build to address a upgrade blocker.

Example: The hosts running on ESXi 8.0 U3i upgraded to to 8.0 U3k. Upgrade from 8.0 U3k to 9.1.0.0. is not a supported path. Refer the screenshot.

• Both bootbank as well as altbootbank may have same build and rollback is not working to go back to desired build.

Environment

• VMware vSAN 8.x
• VMware ESXi 8.0

Resolution

Step-1:

Preparation:

1. Ensure the host is in Maintenance Mode with full data migration enabled.

2. Validate vSAN data health port entering the host into maintenance mode.

3. If there are dependent components like NSX or third party agents, assess and act accordingly.

Step-2:

Re-installation: Re-install the host with the desired target build ISO (e.g., Dell Custom Image 8.0 U3).

Warning: Do not modify or reformat the vSAN disks during the host installation.

Step-3:

Host Configuration:

1. Configure the host network and management settings as required to reach the vCenter Server.

2. Follow the standard procedure to re-add the host to the vSAN cluster.  Refer to How to add a host back to a vSAN cluster after an ESXi host rebuild/reimage for detailed steps on re-joining the cluster after re-imaging.

Additional Information

• If the environment includes NSX, ensure the host management cluster compatibility is verified before starting the re-image process.

• To speak with a customer representative or a Support Engineer see Broadcom Support Portal