IP Address for ESXi Hosts are incorrect in Unisphere Manager ?

[TonyJK]

For unknown reason, the IP addresses of those ESXi 5 Hosts connected to CX4-240 Storage Array has been changed to the IP Address of VMkernel Port for vMotion.

In this way, we are not able to update information for those ESXi Hosts.  Moreover, one of them has status = "Unmanaged".

We have restart the Management Server for the Storage Array but still gets the same result.  On the other hand, all ESXi Hosts are working properly - All of them are connected to LUNs assigned and VMs are running too.

We would like to seek your advice is there any way to change the IP address ?  We have attempted to set Disk.EnableNaviReg to "0" but still gets the same result.

Your advice is osught.

[Sreec]

Hi,

    Could you please post the screen shot of unisphere and esx host.

[zXi_Gamer]

Well, it looks like our old friend who has been there since 4.0 has returned. There had been earlier issues of such behavior. This happens when vmk0-assigned for Managment and vmk1 assigned for Vmotion gets inter-changed. and vmotion having vmk0 and Mgmt having vmk1. Can you confirm if this is the case in  your setup.?

If yes, then do please have a looksy at here

[TonyJK]

Yes, you are right.  All ESXi Hosts in trouble have the following configuration

ESXi 1 - vmk0: vMotion / vmk1: Mgt

ESXi 2 - vmk1: vMotion / vmk2: Mgt

ESXi 3 - vmk0: vMotion / vmk1: Mgt

I have no idea how to change vmk(x) and don't understand why there is no vmk0 for ESXi 2.

Your advice is sought.

[zXi_Gamer]

While the main reason for this behavior is not quite clear yet, I can suggest a small workaround to bind the vmkX to only vmotion so that other vmk is not used.

In ESX-configuration-software advanced settings-Migrate-migrate.vmknic. set this value to vmk1 or any vmkX as you wish to set. This way the vmkX will not be used for management purpose.

[TonyJK]

Many thanks for your advice.  Instead of Storage Array issue, we did get the IP Address of vMotion on DCUI and it causes the problem we have in Unisphere Manager.  On the other hand, we are not using Enterprise Plus license and thus not using Host Profile at our site.

1) I would like to confirm before I make the changes

ESXi 1 - set migrate.vmknic to vmk1

ESXi 2 - set migrate.vmknic to vmk2

ESXi 3 - set migrate.vmknic to vmk1

2) Do I need to enter maintenance mode for the changes ? Is it necessary for me to restart the host ?

3) Just out of curisority, there is no vmk0 in ESXi2, even though we change the vmk2 for vMotion, how can Mgt get vmk0 ?

Your advice is sought.

[zXi_Gamer]

On the other hand, we are not using Enterprise Plus license and thus not using Host Profile at our site

Using Host Profiles might be one way to hit the issue. Other cases might cause this behavior like yourselves.

2) Do I need to enter maintenance mode for the changes ? Is it necessary for me to restart the host ?

No. I tried on my setup and it does not require maintenace or reboot required.

3) Just out of curisority, there is no vmk0 in ESXi2, even though we change the vmk2 for vMotion, how can Mgt get vmk0 ?

Well, that is a tough call. Either you can decide to live with vmk1 for management, or try to look at esx.conf file and locate the entries of vmk which is used for management and find out where is vmk0 and assign the same.

If is there no display of vmk0 anywhere in esx.conf, then, I would not recommend changing back to vmk0, since the MAC entries and helluva stuffs might get mixed up.

If you do have a valid support, you can raise a support request with VMware on this issue to ensure that it does not happen to other servers and the user should not go through the trouble of binding the vmk to specific portgroups.

Happy to help,

zXi

[TonyJK]

I have tried your suggestion but still doesn't work.

Finally, I use the vitual switch attached to vmk0 for Management and recreate another one for vMotion.  The problem is fixed.

Thanks

[zXi_Gamer]

I use the vitual switch attached to vmk0 for Management and recreate another one for vMotion.  The problem is fixed.

Thats great news.. Congrats on the same. Hope that the vmks dont get interchanged again