vSphere Upgrade & Install

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  • 1.  Cannot add standalone host to datacenter in vCenter/vSphere 6.7

    Posted Nov 23, 2020 08:56 PM

    Hello,

    I am new to vCenter and trying to learn. Right now I am trying to add a new host onto my vSphere Client.

    I am on version 6.7 for my VCSA and have a trial license for the moment.

    Our ESXi Hosts are on version 6.7 as well.

    --

    Workflow for Attempting to Add a Standalone Host on my vCenter:

    1. Created a new datacenter and named it "ESXi Hosts".

    2. Now when I click to add a 'New Host' -

    3. I get prompted to connect to what server so I put in my ESXi host IP address.

    4. Then enter the credentials to log into that ESXi host.

    5. Confirm the certificate.

    6. Get a preview of the ESXi host of its model, version, vendor, and current VMs that are on that host.

    7. Assign a license - I am assuming since I am on a trial that the only available license that is shown is the license to the Hypervisor so I kept it as selected then I clicked next.

    8. For Lockdown mode, I have it set to disabled.

    9. The VM location screen just to confirm to me that it will go to my new datacenter I created.

    10. Lastly, click Finish.

    --

    I see that the Recent Tasks is showing a status at 80% and does not move until it ultimately fails and throws me the error of: "Cannot contact the specified host. The host may not be available on the network, a network configuration problem may exist, or the management service on this host is not responding."

    --

    I also have coordinated with my firewall team to open up these ports as bi-directional traffic (per VMware documentation I followed - https://docs.vmware.com/en/VMware-vSphere/6.7/com.vmware.vcenter.install.doc/GUID-925370DD-E3D1-455B-81C7-CB28AAF20617.html) between my vCenter appliance server (1 total) and of all my ESXi hosts (Total hosts we have are 6):

    22 - TCP - System port for SSHD
    53 - DNS Service
    80 - TCP - Direct HTTP connections
    88 - TCP - Active Directory server
    389 - TCP - LDAP port for Directory services for vCenter Server group
    443 - TCP - vCenter listens for connection from vSphere Client
    514 - TCP/UDP - vSphere Syslog Collector
    636 - TCP - vCenter Single Sign-On LDAPS
    902 - TCP/UDP - Port used for vCenter to send data to managed hosts (ESXi heartbeat)
    903 - TCP - Remote access to VM console
    1514 - TCP - vSphere Syslog Collector TLS port for vCenter Server on Windows and vSphere Syslog Service TLS port for appliance
    2012 - TCP - Control interface RPC for vCenter SSO
    2014 - TCP - RPC port for all VMCA (VMware Certificate Authority) APIs
    2015 - TCP - DNS management
    2020 - TCP/UDP - Authentication framework management
    5480 - TCP - Appliance Management Interface
    6500 - TCP/UDP - ESXi Dump Collector
    6501 - TCP - Auto deploy services
    6502 - TCP - Auto deploy management
    7080, 12721 - TCP - Secure Token Service
    7081 - TCP - VMware Platform Services Controller Web Client
    7475, 7476 - TCP - VMware vSphere Authentication Proxy
    8200, 8201, 8300, 8301 - TCP - Appliance management
    8084 - TCP - vSphere Update Manager SOAP
    9084 - TCP - vSphere Update Manager Web Server
    9087 - TCP - vSphere Update Manager Web SSL
    9443 - TCP - vSphere Client HTTPS

    --

    With those ports being open - I tried to log into the appliance's shell and executed the command: "curl -v telnet://[IP address of an ESXi Host]:902" as a test and I got a connection timed out - failed to connect to [IP address]:902.

    --

    Questions I have:

    1. Do I need to have a license that is NOT a trial/evaluation license in order to add new hosts to my vCenter/vSphere Client?

    2. Should I be testing telnet on the ESXi host / shell to my vCenter appliance instead?

    3. Any additional configurations on the VCSA or ESXi Host that need to occur in order to establish connection?

    3. Are there any additional ports that I have missed that are required to be open?

    4. What is the resolution or workaround to resolve me adding new hosts to my datacenter?



  • 2.  RE: Cannot add standalone host to datacenter in vCenter/vSphere 6.7

    Posted Nov 23, 2020 09:34 PM

     

    Is the host licensed using a free vSphere Hypervisor key? If so, you cannot manage it with a vCenter Server. You would be able to if no key was applied and the host was running in evaluation mode.



  • 3.  RE: Cannot add standalone host to datacenter in vCenter/vSphere 6.7

    Posted Nov 24, 2020 01:27 PM

     I believe my vCenter Eval license has expired... but my vSphere Hypervisor License for my ESXi hosts (that show on the license page of the window to add a new host shows so I apply that license to it. So I do not believe my ESXi hosts are on evaluation mode. Would I need a valid vCenter license in order to proceed and have no issues with adding hosts?



  • 4.  RE: Cannot add standalone host to datacenter in vCenter/vSphere 6.7
    Best Answer

    Posted Nov 24, 2020 01:50 PM

    A vCenter Server would need to be licensed for you to be able to add new hosts for management PLUS the hosts cannot be licensed with a vSphere Hypervisor license - note that I'm being VERY specific when I say vSphere Hypervisor rather than vSphere:

    • vSphere Hypervisor is a free license that you can get for a standalone host - one that is not managed by a vCenter Server.
    • vSphere is a paid-for license.


  • 5.  RE: Cannot add standalone host to datacenter in vCenter/vSphere 6.7

    Posted Nov 24, 2020 08:59 AM

    HI  

    Reason to drop the connection between the vcenter and the esxi host, could be multiple things like:

    - License as  mentioned

    - 902 udp/tcp port bi-directional opening (you mentioned too). Checks can be done with nc:

    nc -z <destination-ip> <destination-port> 

    - Service issue on the esxi host (vpxa)

    restart the vpxa service, or the complete host.