Network Adapters and VLAN (optional) greyed out in DCUI

[tinglyfox]

I am studying for my VCP exam and I am using a nested setup in Workstation. Suddenly I don't have access to the network adapters in the DCUI. I have migrated both NICs used for management to a vmkernel management port group in a distributed switch.

Does someone know what is going on here? Google gave me this hint

But in my case the hosts are still connected to vCenter and are working fine no issues anywhere.

[rcporto · Accepted solution]

Since you migrate your management VMkernel to vDS, all virtual switch tasks, including configuration of VMkernel managament interfaces/VLANs must be done on vDS and not on ESXi.

[tinglyfox]

Thank you Richardson!

[hegdec]

That perfectly makes sense.

But, what if we want to get the control by force from the vDS? In our case, we have the host switch being managed by vDS. We skipped the process of removing the host from vDS before removing it from the inventory. Unfortunately the vCenter too is now decommissioned and hence cannot add it back and follow the right process.

In such case, is there any way to remove the stale entry in the ESXi and get the control to modify the management vmkernel port forcefully?(!)

[myxyz123]

Hello,

I've had the same issue and was able to restore the interface with the following command on the ESXi shell:

esxcli network vswitch standard add -v vSwitch0

esxcli network vswitch standard portgroup add -p 'Management Network' -v vSwitch0

esxcli network ip interface add -i vmk0 -p 'Management Network'

After that, I was able to restore vmk0 config.

[grantcurell]

I was super confused by this. I changed a VLAN and these options became grayed out without further explanation. I had to go to:

Network Restore Options -> Restore vDS

Then I reset to default.

[ESXi_Since_3_5]

I believe since 6.7c they have allowed you the option to "reset" your virtual switch settings. I have since upgraded to 7.0c and I know it's there. But if there is an networking issue there is an option to reset it back to a standard or fix the vDS. it has worked perfectly every time I've used it.

[nahmad213]

Dear,

I am facing an issue that i am unable to access or ping the MGMT IP of ESXi. 

Hardware information: Huawei E9000 Chassis, Blade server: CH121V5. 

this issue has to faced when you changed the motherboard of the blade server..

Unable to ping this IP : 10.50.250.160

Even all other hosts (blade servers) are accessible and at the same network. But only this Blade server is not responding. please assist me to fix this issue.

[aakalan]

can you try to ping it from another host? not from your computer.

[nahmad213]

It is not even ping-able from the other host as well. 

[nahmad213]

Dear,

Please check the output of the following commands:

esxcli network vswitch standard list

esxcli network vswitch dvs vmware list

esxcli network nic list

esxcli network ip interface ipv4 get

esxcli network nic list ; esxcli network ip interface ipv4 getesxcli network vswitch standard listesxcli network vswitch dvs vmware lis

[aakalan]

your network cards are in down state, which means either cables are not connected or there is a wrong configuration in the blade management interface( wrong profile, missing profile etc.)

[nahmad213]

Yes you are right, network card are showing down. But cable is properly connected, so your second point: might be there some configuration issue. So please assist me to resolve this issue. can you please send me the procedure to troubleshooting. 

[nahmad213]

one more thing that i would like to know: either this issue is related with MEZZ card or not? 

i have plugged and un-plugged the MEZZ card but persist the same issue. 

[aakalan]

can you please first update the firmware up new cards? it should be an old firmware.

[nahmad213]

Dear, yesterday i have done the remote session with Huawei Official support team and doing troubleshooting he found that all four vmnic0,vmnic1,vmnic2,vmnic3 are down and their relevant port with switch are also done. Then he changed the MEZ520 card from slot2 to slot1 after using these two commands:

esxcli network nic up 0-n vmnic2
esxcli network nic up 0-n vmnic3

Now vmnic2 & vmnic3 are up. but i still cannot get the ping response from ESXi MGMT IP. 

when i trying to ping the Gateway from the host ESXi Shell, it shows an error "host is down"

can you please assist me on this 

[aakalan]

ok cards are up now thats good news.

but we don't know which card are responsible about host management. Can you go to attached screen and check which cards are selected?

[nahmad213]

Dear,
In ESXi physical adapters: vmnic2 and vmnic3 are showing connected and vmnic0 & vmnic1 are showing disconnected. currently i have not the picture of it. please i have checked it. 

currently i have another picture of vmnic3. 

Hardware lable detail

vmnic0 & vmnic1: LOM
vmnic2 & vmnic3: MEZZ1

Please check and assist me on this.

[aakalan]

ok looks like from the photo, vmnic2 and vmnic3 is using DSwitch-DCV.

Are the management of esxi hosts in this switch?

[nahmad213]

Dear, i don't know about it. you can check it from these pictures,

As per my understanding: i have assigned the ESXi MGMT IP to vmk0 and vmk0 is connected with DSwitch-DCV. but as you can see that : Management Network is added in vSwitch0.

But main issue is: i am unable to access or ping the ESXi MGMT IP. 

one more thing that i want to illustrate it: 

when i used this command:

esxcli network ip interface ipv4 get

sometimes it shows the Gateway and sometimes it not. i have also marked it in the below picture.

Please assist