Unable to rename or delete a VMkernel portgroup after upgrading ESX/ESXi

Products

• VMware vCenter Server
• VMware vSphere ESXi

Issue/Introduction

Symptoms:

• After upgrading ESX, the VMkernel portgroup is changed and cannot be renamed or deleted.
• In the VMware Infrastructure/vSphere Client shows the portgroup as a VM Network instead of VMkernel port.

Environment

VMware ESXi 4.0.x Installable
VMware ESXi 4.0.x Embedded
VMware vCenter Server 4.0.x
VMware ESX Server 3.5.x
VMware vCenter Server 4.1.x
VMware ESXi 4.1.x Embedded
VMware ESXi 3.5.x Installable
VMware ESX 4.0.x
VMware ESXi 3.5.x Embedded
VMware VirtualCenter 2.5.x
VMware vCenter Server 5.0.x
VMware ESXi 4.1.x Installable
VMware ESX 4.1.x
VMware vSphere ESXi 5.0

Resolution

To work around this issue:

1. Run these commands to enable and delete the VMkernel port:
   
   esxcfg-vmknic -e <portgroup name>
   esxcfg-vmknic -d <portgroup name>
    
2. Run this command to remove the portgroup from the virtual switch:
   
   esxcfg-vswitch -D <portgroup name> vSwitchX
    
3. If you are using Nexus 1000v dvSwitch then to delete the vmkernel port use the command:
   
   esxcfg-vmknic -d -s "name of vswitch" -v portid
   
   Where the portid is the id of port associated with vmkernel interface.

Additional Information

For more information see article Can not create a VMkernel port on an ESXi host (1034275).
Cannot create a VMkernel port on an ESXi host