ESXi

I came into work this morning and none of the clients on my host could connect to the network.  It appeared my port group was broken.  I would point the clients back to the proper port group and the settings said they saved, but they would not.  I gave all the clients and the ESXi 8.0 host a reboot to see if that would fix things but it didn't.  I also deleted the port group and added it back, but that didn't resolve the issue either.  After removing the network adapter on each client and then adding it back I was able to get the port group setting to "take".  Now though I still don't have connectivity on any of my clients.  When I log into them I just have the broken globe icon in the taskbar.  The clients all have static IP addresses.  I tried disabling the network card via the OS on one of the clients and re enabling it and that didn't fix the issue either.  All of my servers(clients) are dead in the water right now.

Thanks in advance!

Hello,

Let's start by saying that a network infrastructure (totally or in part) doesn't stop working overnight without anything happening, so start by checking if unfortunate events have occurred or that someone has put their hands where did not have to without your knowledge. Check that virtual switch, portgroup, uplink settings are consistent with the settings of the network devices to which your host is connected and consult their LOGs (and those of your host too). incorrect settings (or malfunctions) often produce the result you have noticed.

Then it's not that you say much about how your network infrastructure is organized, and without knowing all that remains is to guess. Some screenshots may be helpful.
I understand your situation but almost never turning everything off and on again is the solution to a problem (at most it moves it to a later time).

Regards,
Ferdinando

I've checked all of the physical connections and those are okay.  I still have access to the host server via it's IP Address with the ESXi web interface.  I think I have the issue isolated to a port group, but I can't figure out what is causing the problem.  If I move one of the clients to a different port group (different vlan and subnet on my physical network), it regains connectivity.  As soon as I move it back to the troubled port group and change the IP address of the server it is dead again.  I've tried removing the port group and recreating it to no avail.  I have also checked the settings on this port group in comparison to one of the working port groups and I can't see any differences (besides the vLan number).

Thanks.

Hello,

If you had said right away that you use different IP networks connected to as many corresponding VLANs IMHO you would have saved a fair amount of time.

Verify that the settings related to the VLANs correspond exactly to those of your network devices and also that the object that takes care of routing between your different IP networks is set equally consistent and that the traffic is not blocked by somehow (ACL or FIREWALL rules, whatever).

Regards,
Ferdinando

I didn't want to give too much information and end up with half of it being irrelevant.  People on forums like this can be pretty nit picky.  Thanks for the help, I am just going to pay for a service call.

Hello,

I didn't ask you to tell me everything related to your network infrastructure, I just suggested that you check if there are any discrepancies between what is and what should be in terms of configuration. Beyond a certain limit I wouldn't do it either.

But if moving a VM to another "port group" assuming it lands on the same virtual switch and things work, IMHO reinforces a this "legitimate suspicion".

Regards,
Ferdinando