VxRail upgrade fails with NSX VIB DependencyError during ESXi bundle installation

Products

• VMware NSX

Issue/Introduction

VxRail upgrade fails during ESXi bundle installation with the following error message:

[DependencyError] On platform embeddedEsx, VIB VMware_bootbank_nsx-esx-datapath_3.2.3.1.0-7.0.22104635 requires esx-base << 7.1, but the requirement cannot be satisfied within the ImageProfile

The upgrade process encounters this error when attempting to install the VxRail composite bundle during VCF (VMware Cloud Foundation) upgrade operations. This issue typically occurs when NSX components are installed in the environment but are not actively configured or in use.

Symptoms include:

• VxRail upgrade consistently failing at the same point during bundle installation
• Error logs showing VIB dependency conflicts with NSX components
• Upgrade process unable to proceed past ESXi bundle installation phase

Verification steps:

• Check if NSX is installed but not configured (no T1/T0 routers or segments configured)
• Verify stale NSX properties exist on distributed virtual switches using: net-dvs -l | grep -E "^switch|com.vmware.nsx.*.enable|com.vmware.common.alias"
• Confirm VxRail upgrade failure is reproducible at the same step

Environment

• VMware NSX

Cause

The issue is caused by incompatible NSX VIB versions creating dependency conflicts during the ESXi upgrade process. When NSX is installed but never fully configured or utilized, stale NSX properties remain on distributed virtual switches, preventing the VxRail upgrade process from resolving version compatibility between existing NSX VIBs and the target ESXi base version.

Resolution

Note: This resolution applies only when NSX is installed but not actively configured (no T1/T0 routers or segments configured). Verify NSX configuration status before proceeding.

Follow these steps to remove NSX VIBs and complete the VxRail upgrade:

1. Place the affected host in maintenance mode
2. Reboot the host to ensure a clean state
3. Re-enter maintenance mode after the reboot completes
4. Stop the NSX proxy service:

   /etc/init.d/nsx-proxy stop

5. Identify stale NSX properties on distributed virtual switches:

   net-dvs -l | grep -E "^switch|com.vmware.nsx.*.enable|com.vmware.common.alias"

6. Remove identified stale NSX properties using the following command format for each property:

   net-dvs -u "<property>" -p hostPropList <switchName>

   Examples:
   • net-dvs -u com.vmware.nsx.kcp.enable -p hostPropList RegionA01-VDS7
   • net-dvs -u com.vmware.nsx.spf.enabled -p hostPropList RegionA01-VDS7
   • net-dvs -u com.vmware.nsx.vdl2.enabled -p hostPropList RegionA01-VDS7
   • net-dvs -u com.vmware.nsx.vdsSecurity.enabled -p hostPropList RegionA01-VDS7
7. Execute NSX cleanup:

   nsxcli -c del nsx

8. Verify NSX VIB removal:

   esxcli software vib list | grep -E 'nsx|vsipfwlib'

9. Exit maintenance mode and proceed with the VxRail upgrade process
10. Repeat these steps for all affected hosts in the cluster

 

Additional Information

If the error persists after following these steps, contact Broadcom Support for further assistance.

Reference Documentation:

• Uninstall NSX from a Managed Host in a vSphere Cluster
• Uninstalling NSX-T from ESXi host failing with error "Failed to remove all host switches or logical switches"

Related Articles:

• Collecting diagnostic information for VMware ESXi
• Creating and managing Broadcom support cases
• Uploading files to cases on the Broadcom Support Portal