Source vCenter Server has instance(s) of non-VMware Distributed Virtual Switch” Error During vCenter Upgrade to 6.7 or Later

Products

• VMware vCenter Server

Issue/Introduction

When upgrading or migrating the vCenter via the GUI, this error appears in the pre-upgrade check summary before the upgrade begins.
during the vCenter Server upgrade pre-check or upgrade validation phase, specifically when using:

• vCenter Server Appliance installer UI or CLI (Stage 1 or 2, depending on method)
• vCenter Server migration or upgrade assistant for Windows-based upgrades

Error: "Source vCenter Server has instance(s) of non-VMware Distributed Virtual Switch".
 

Environment

This issue applies to the following VMware products:

• vCenter Server Appliance 6.7.x
• vCenter Server 6.7.x (Windows-based)
• vCenter Server 7.0.x

Cause

The upgrade process detects the presence of non-VMware Distributed Virtual Switches (e.g., Cisco Nexus 1000v), which are not supported in vCenter Server versions 6.7 and later. The upgrade is halted to prevent potential networking issues post-upgrade.

Resolution

Step 1: Identify the Unsupported vSwitches

1. Connect to the source vCenter Server via SSH (VCSA) or Windows session.
2. Locate the error log file:
                VCSA Path: /var/log/vmware/upgrade/vcdb_req.err
                Windows Path:C:\Users\<install_user>\AppData\Local\Temp\vcsMigration\vcdb_req.err

3. Open the file and look for the list of non-VMware distributed switches that are blocking the upgrade.
 

Step 2: Migrate to VMware Distributed Virtual Switch (VDS)

1. For each non-VMware switch listed (e.g., Nexus 1000v):
           Create a new VMware Distributed Virtual Switch (VDS) in the vCenter.
           Reconfigure port groups and uplinks to match your existing switch setup.
           Migrate VMs, vmkernel adapters, and physical NICs (vmnics) to the new VDS.

2. Remove the non-VMware distributed switch from the inventory once migration is completed.

3. The error should no longer appear, and the upgrade will proceed.