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AndreyGorokhov
Contributor
Contributor

Host is already connected to this vCenter Server

Hello,

I've changed esxi server (phisical) and whant to add this server to vCenter. I would like to use same name? but i cannot do this. when i'm trying to add new server i cannot do this.

error message is: The host XXX is already connected to YYY vCenter Server.

In vCenter Server Database in ENTITY table i don't see this hostname... (i thought may be old server was not removed correctly and some thing should be in DB). But any way i think thomthing left in DB and i don't know how to clean DB...

May be somebode had this problem...

Thanks in advance

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JimKnopf99
Commander
Commander

Hi,

Didn´t you remove the esx host from your vcenter? Or do you have two different vcenter server?

Are you able to remove the host from the old vcenter server and connected to the new one?

If nothing work for you, i guess you have to remove the vcenter agent from your host manually.

check this KB.

http://kb.vmware.com/selfservice/microsites/search.do?language=en_US&cmd=displayKC&externalId=100371...

Frank

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AndreyGorokhov
Contributor
Contributor

i have only one vCenter Server. When i disable old server i removed host from vCenter inventory and it was removed succesfully. then i installed new server and gave same (for exampl old sever had name SERVER1, and i gave this name to new installed server) name to this server (i just wanted to replace old phisical host).

P.S. I don't need to reinstal agents becouse this is absolutelly new server! it never was connected to vCenter.

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iw123
Commander
Commander

Have you rebooted or restarted the vcenter server/service ?

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JimKnopf99
Commander
Commander

i just read a article that someone got that issue as well.

He did a trick with creating a new temporary cluster, place the new host there. Then remove the host and delete the cluster.

But first, i would restart vcenter service.

Frank

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AndreyGorokhov
Contributor
Contributor

actually i have nothing to put into new cluster becouse i cannot connect new server...

i tryed to restart vCenter server - no luck Smiley Sad

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JimKnopf99
Commander
Commander

Hm,

look at this post

http://communities.vmware.com/message/1340575

Frank

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iw123
Commander
Commander

does it behave differently if you try can connect the host to vcenter using its ip address rather than the host name? 

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AndreyGorokhov
Contributor
Contributor

if i'm trying to connect the host to vcenter using its ip address - same error

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zenariga
Enthusiast
Enthusiast

What database do you use in your vCenter?

Looks like that you have some trash in vCenter database, did you try purge old data of vCenter database?

For some reason looks like that server still in vCenter database.

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AndreyGorokhov
Contributor
Contributor

I use SQL Server 2008 R2...

And that is the question! How to clean database?

I agree there something left in database from old host. but i cannot find what exactly... It must be in ENTITY table, but no. i could use some scripts and remove all data that somehow related to this host (just remove all records that has parent_ID - ID of this old server) but i cannot find ID of this host because host_id only in ENTITY table...

and this is the problem! i don't know how to remove all data about old host from vCenter database!

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zenariga
Enthusiast
Enthusiast

I don't know much about SQL 2008, but have a internal SQL process that purge unused data.

Have this KB in vmware site too:

http://kb.vmware.com/selfservice/microsites/search.do?language=en_US&cmd=displayKC&externalId=102591...

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alwaysnodowntim
Enthusiast
Enthusiast

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AndreyGorokhov
Contributor
Contributor

cannot use it...

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iw123
Commander
Commander

do you have any other hosts currently connected to that vCenter? 

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AndreyGorokhov
Contributor
Contributor

yes, i have 9 more hosts connected to this vCenter...

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iw123
Commander
Commander

could you post the relevent contents of the vpxd log on your vcenter from when you are trying to add the host?

http://kb.vmware.com/selfservice/microsites/search.do?language=en_US&cmd=displayKC&externalId=102180...

Thanks

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kabeer
Contributor
Contributor

For easy and quick step, add error given ESX to another vCenter and again disconnected and remove from there and add it to desire vCenter.

Note:- In this way vpxa settings on ESX change.

This tested with vCenter 5 and ESXi 5.

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kbasshambeta
Contributor
Contributor

I know this is an old post but I had the same issue. A 6.7 host connected to a 6.7 vCenter. The host was not showing up in vCenter and when I tried to add it, it said it was already there. Rebooted vCenter and the host to no avail. Connected to the host directly hostname/ui and then went to services and disabled the vpxa service. Once I did this, I could add the host the vCenter without issues.

tukip
Contributor
Contributor

tukip

@kbasshambeta

I had this exact issue where i couldn't add my esxi host to vsphere 7.0.

I did excatly what you said and that worked for me.

disbling vpxa from the host allowed me to re-add the host.

Thank You.

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