Lost contact with ESXi v4 Server

[StephenMoll]

One of my software engineers wanted to try teaming two NICs of a ESXi v4 host. Unfortunately the vSwitch in which this was tried was the one containing the VMKernel port.

The host was installed using the free install of ESXi, so I am assuming that RCLI cannot be used to fix the problem. Is there any way I to repair this situation, that doesn't require everything to be reinstalled?

[AndreTheGiant]

You can enable the unsupported console (http://www.virtualizationadmin.com/articles-tutorials/vmware-esx-articles/general/how-to-access-the-vmware-esxi-hidden-console.html) and then use esxcfg-vswitch to fix the configuration.

Andre

[Kasraeian · Accepted solution]

Hi,

I'm not sure, but may be you can fix it by accessing trough the console.

If I don't make mistake, I think when you making NIC-Teaming, in Console\Configure Management Network\Network Adapter the teamed NIC would be checked, so you can unchecked some and set the setting for the IP (if needed) and then restarting management network.

If I miss anything; please correct me, Thanks.

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MCTS, VCP

[bulletprooffool]

If you have access to the physical box (or DRAC or ILO access), You can log onto it by hitting the F2 button.

You'll need to supply the root user credentials.

Next, select 'Configure Management Nework'

then Select 'Network Adapter'

I'd suggest now removing all allocated adapters and just adding one that you know works.

Apply the settings, then run the 'Test Management Networks'

good luck - post back to let us know how it goes.

[StephenMoll]

This appeared to do the trick, although it probably was in conjunction with some tweaking of the connections and settings at the Cisco switch. I get the impression that after they had clicked apply on the vSphere client to team the two NICs, they had neglected to make changes to the physical connections, and still had the machine running vSphere client connected to NIC-1 and NIC-2 connected to the Cisco. Not surprising that the ESXi host didn't know what to do. Once the connections were fixed, and the Cisco switch configured to team the connections at its end too, a quick restart of the management network seemed to fix it.

[StephenMoll]

This is actually very interesting, and something I shall keep in my arsenal of 'get out of trouble' methods.

It is interesting that most of the information about this actually refers to ESXi v3.5, but it still seems to work with ESXi v4.

I have found one thing that needs to be born in mind... The RCLI command reference for v4 has the newer VICFG- prefixed commands, whereas going into the hidden console on v4, these are not supported. The hidden console will only accept the older ESXCFG- prefixed commands.