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Ubuntu111
Contributor
Contributor

Unable to enable HA on ESX host in cluster of three hosts - PLEASE HELP!!!

I manage a cluster of three ESXi/ESX 3.5.0 hosts. Two hosts are running ESXi 3.5.0 and one is running ESX 3.5.0 build 213532. These three host are make up an HA/DRS cluster. All three have worked fine for months as far as vMotion, DRS, HA, etc. The three are connected for vMotion via a 5 port switch.

Today I noticed the ESX host with the following error "Configuration Issues - HA agent (SERVERNAME) in the cluster ESX3.5 in the Data Center has an error." Where are these errors located on an ESX 3.5 host?

When I use VC and try to re-enable the host for HA I get the error "Unable to contact the specified host (SERVERNAME). This might be because the host is not available on the network, there's a network configuration problem, or the Management services on the host are not responding."

I also tried disabling and then re-enabling HA on the cluster. I was able to disable HA but when I tried to re-enable HA only the two ESXi hosts were able to configure HA. I am getting the error "Unable to contact the specified host (SERVERNAME). This might be because the host is not available on the network, there's a network configuration problem, or the Management services on the host are not responding" on the ESX host.

I have checked the vMotion cable that goes from the ESX host to the 5 port switch and it is tight. Any ideas on why I can't re-enable HA? What should I look at? THANKS!!!

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DSTAVERT
Immortal
Immortal

Make sure DNS is able to resolve the name from the vCenter server. I usually add the server to the hosts file. Have you tried removing the server from the cluster and then re adding.

-- David -- VMware Communities Moderator
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Ubuntu111
Contributor
Contributor

I can ping the ESX host from the VC server. I can't remove and readd the host from the cluster without going into Maintenance Mode. In order to do that I need to migrate my VMs off of that host first which I am unable to do.

What else should I look at? What else can I try? Thanks!!!

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DSTAVERT
Immortal
Immortal

Add the vcenter server to the ESX(i) host files and the ESX(i) servers to the vcenter host file. There were issues with Upper/Lower case in configuration and host files. I don't know that it is still an issue. Verify that DNS, host files, configuration files and hostnames match.

-- David -- VMware Communities Moderator
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Ubuntu111
Contributor
Contributor

I looked at the HOSTD.log located in VMWARE and did not see any errors from today. Just some from yesterday. There were also 10 other HOSTD logs with the syntax of HOSTD-0.log, HOSTD-1.log, etc. Would I need to look at those logs? Please see the HOSTD.log below.

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Rob_Bohmann1
Expert
Expert

Ubuntu,

check the /var/log directory on the esx host for errors in vmkernel, vmkwarning. While you are at it try and ping the vmotion ip address to the esxi servers using the vmkping command on the esx host.

Check your 5 port switch to see if there are errors indicated. Can you try and use a different switch to take that out of the mix? Swap out the cables to eliminate that possibility.

Doublecheck your vmotion configuration on your vswitches and make sure it is what you expect in regards to each connection on each host.

For your esxi hosts, check the events and tasks view in vCenter for errors or timing when this started and then check to see if anything else changed at that time.

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Mohammad1982
Hot Shot
Hot Shot

Did you try restarting the management agents a\on both ESX /ESXi hosts.

disable HA and follow the below KB article to restart the management agents

http://kb.vmware.com/kb/1003490

After restarting the management agents enable HA.

Please consider to award points by clicking correct/helpful.

If you found this information useful, please consider awarding points for "Correct" or "Helpful". Thanks!!! Regards, Mohammad Wasim
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Varunsh
Enthusiast
Enthusiast

5

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Varunsh
Enthusiast
Enthusiast

make sure you are able to connect to license server, I have faced such problems when i tried enabling HA without license. It did not throw any error at that time.

For HA vmwarre says :

Server should have static IP

hostname

I think that is enough

You can try to restart management agent on ESX and ESXi...It may work for you.

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