Disabling vNetwork Distributed Switches (To migrate networking from DVS to Standard Switch)

Products

• VMware vCenter Server
• VMware vSphere ESXi

Issue/Introduction

This article provides steps to disable vNetwork Distributed Switches from vCenter Server.

 

You may want to do this if:

• You need to move the Virtual Machines from a vNetwork Distributed Virtual (vDS) to a Standard vSwitch
• You need to remove vNetwork Distributed Switches from vCenter.
• You are downgrading a license, vNetwork Distributed Switches might not be supported by the downgraded license.
• You need to migrate all virtual machine, VMkernel, and service console networking from vNetwork Distributed Switches to vNetwork Standard Switches so that network connectivity is not lost.

Environment

VMware vCenter Server 7.0.x
VMware vCenter Server 8.0.x
VMware vSphere ESXi 7.x
VMware vSphere ESXi 8.x

Resolution

To migrate virtual machine networking from a vNetwork Distributed Virtual Switch to a vNetwork Standard Switch:

1. vSphere Client > [Networking] tab on left-side pane
2. Distributed Virtual Switch > Right click on the Virtual Machine Networking(port group) and then select Migrate VMs to Another Network
3. Select the destination Networking (Port Group).
4. Select Virtual Machine and click FINISH.

 

To migrate VMkernel or service console networking from a vNetwork Distributed Switch to a vNetwork Standard Switch:

1. vSphere Client > Select ESXi on Left-side pane
2. [Configure] tab > Networking > Virtual switches > Select the standard switch
3. Select Migrate VMkernel Adapter
4. Select the VMkernel Adapter and then click FINISH

 

To remove a vNetwork Distributed Switch from vCenter:

1. vSphere Client > [Networking] tab on left-side pane
2. Right click on the distributed Virtual Switch and then click Delete

 

To remove a host from vNetwork Distributed Switch in vCenter:

1. vSphere Client > [Networking] tab on left-side pane
2. Right click on the distributed Virtual Switch > Add and Manage Hosts > Select Remove hosts
3. Select the ESXi and then click FINISH

For related information, see ESXi host using Distributed Switches (vDS) fails migration to a new cluster managed by a different vCenter server.

For more information, see Introduction to vSphere Networking