Troubleshooting Incomplete Network Migration during vSphere Distributed Switch Host Addition - VMware vSphere ESXi

Products

• VMware vSphere ESXi

Issue/Introduction

• During the addition of an ESXi host to an existing vSphere Distributed Switch (vDS), users may observe that not all physical uplinks (vmnics) or VMkernel adapters (VMK) were successfully migrated from the vSphere Standard Switch (VSS).
• This results in a hybrid configuration where some adapters remain bound to the VSS, potentially causing connectivity issues or partial network functionality.

Environment

• Product: VMware vSphere ESXi 8.0 Update 3
• Component: Networking
• Configuration: vSphere Distributed Switch (vDS)

Cause

• This issue occurs when the "Add and Manage Hosts" wizard is not fully executed, or physical adapters and VMkernel interfaces are not explicitly selected for migration in the wizard's workflow.
• This leaves the host in a mixed-mode state.

Resolution

1. In vCenter UI - right click the DVS and select "Add and Manage Hosts":
   
2. Select "Manage host networking"
3. Select the hosts you wish to manage and click "NEXT":
   
4. Assign uplinks to the vmnic adapters you wish to move to this DVS.
   
5. In the "Manage VMkernel adapters" step, we are migrating the existing VMKs from standard switch to the new DVS by assigned them to new port-groups.
6. Click "ASSIGN PORT GROUP" on the VMKs you wish to move to new DVS. 
7. Click "ASSIGN" next to the portgroup name.
8. Click "NEXT" twice (skipping the "Migrate VM networking" option and finally click "FINISH" to apply the configuration and migrate the hosts VMK networking to the DVS.