no uplinks in dvSwitch created by UCS Manager in vCSA 6.0, 6.0u1b, 6.0u2

[raven428]

I trying to setup UCS vnic passthru in vCenter Server Appliance 6.0u1b. I had:

1. updated my UCS domain to version 2.2(6f);
2. installed VMware-VCSA-all-6.0.0-3343019.iso;
3. installed ESXi 5.1 with last updates and cisco-vem-v151-5.1-1.1.1.1.zip;
4. moved this ESXi 5.1 host to vCenter;
5. exported vCenter extension from UCS manager;
6. succesfully imported extension to vCenter;
7. created vCenter, Datacenter, folder and DVS in UCS manager;

After few moments UCS have created this DVS in vCenter. When I trying to move ESXi 5.1 host to this DVS, there is no uplinks:

So vCenter unable to bind vmnics of ESXi to anything. Also, I had tried to add ESXi host to DVS without uplinks and obviously it did'nt worked. For example this is a screenshot from vCenter Server Appliance 5.5 of same uplinks window. Servers is B200-M4 with VIC 1340 adapters in chassis with 2208XP IO modules. Is it possible to setup vnic passthru in vCSA 6.0u1b and ESXi 5.1/5.5 for Cisco UCS blade servers?

[vmEck]

If you look at the networking configuration of the host itself do you see any physical adapters? Perhaps this isn't a vCenter issue but an issue with the host not seeing the physical NICs in the first place. Since these are UCS blades using the VIC modules there could be a driver problem.

[raven428]

The dvSwitch uplinks, which should be here, isn't belongs to a host. In regular dvSwitch this uplinks managed in "manage -> settings -> properties -> edit -> general -> number of uplinks ad edit uplink names":

Screenshot in my first post is dvSwitch too, but it is not regular. It been managed by Cisco UCS and have no configuration in vCenter:

In UCS manager I had created two vCenters with identical configurations:

First is vCSA 5.5.0.30200-3255668 - everything is fine there:

Second is vCSA -6.0.0-3343019 and window above is empty. Only auto-assign is accessible, but does not work too:

This is is a host:

There is two physical adapters, as you can see. So this is precisely а vCenter issue, because vCenter 5.5 is working fine with identical configuration. So I'm still interested: is the vCenter 6.0 does support dvSwitches, created by Cisco UCS? I didn't found any information on both sides (Cisco and VMWare) about a compatibility. The dvSwitches in vCSA 6.0 is successfully created by UCS with obfuscated key in figure 2. But I unable to start using it to passthru virtual interface cards directly to virtual machines except ESXi hypervisor.

[vmEck]

Are vmnic0 and vmnic1 already assigned to a standard switch on that host?

[raven428]

Sure both vmnics is assigned and connected. Otherwise this host will not be visible by network and by vCenter.

[vmEck]

Could you remove one of the vmmic's from the standard switch and see if it shows up in the available uplink list?

[raven428]

The result is same:

[raven428]

is there anymore suggestions?

[vmEck]

Have you opened an SR with GSS?

[raven428 · Accepted solution]

this is a bug of vmware vsphere web client 6.0, 6.0u1b, 6.0u2 and may be later versions. it cannot find or just cannot show any uplinks in ucs-related distributed switch. so I unable to add host to this switch through vmware vsphere web client. uplinks in switch is fine, so this bug have several workarounds. host can be added to ucs-related distributed switch through:

1. vmware vsphere client application. it will auto assign first free uplink in switch, and directpath i/o will work;
2. host profiles. in this case I can assign any uplink to any vmnic as I wish. this can be done in vsphere web client as in vmware vsphere client application;
3. vmware console client or sdk. I did not tried this case, but I guess it will work fine.

success. distributed switch:

virtual machine:

[vmEck]

Did you open an SR to come to this conclusion? If so, could you provide the SR # so I can take a look and potentially request a KB be drafted?

[raven428]

I already wrote almost kb above, why you ask me to open SR?

[vmEck]

Sorry, you're account isn't tagged as a VMware employee. I thought your were a customer.

What's the PR number? I'd like to track this so I know when it will be fixed. Thanks!