Link down message

[sdarwin5]

Hi,

A new ESXi Server displays conflicting messages about the network:

1. In the Web UI, it says Link Speed "down" for both interfaces.

2. When logging in via ssh, it shows the following:

[root@esx2:~] esxcli network nic list

Name    PCI Device    Driver  Admin Status  Link Status  Speed  Duplex  MAC Address         MTU  Description

------  ------------  ------  ------------  -----------  -----  ------  -----------------  ----  ------------------------------------------------------------

vmnic0  0000:00:14.0  igbn    Up            Up               0  Full    0c:c4:7a:54:0e:2c  1500  Intel Corporation Ethernet Connection I354 2.5 GbE Backplane

vmnic1  0000:00:14.1  igbn    Up            Down             0  Half    0c:c4:7a:54:0e:2d  1500  Intel Corporation Ethernet Connection I354 2.5 GbE Backplane

[root@esx2:~]

3. When attempting vMotion "vMotion interface 'vss:Management Network' on the "Destination" host '139.178.72.178' does not have any operational physical network connections."

However, just to point out the obvious, the link is actually up.  I'm able to SSH into the machine, and view the web UI.  So, the message that it's down is wrong.

This might be a hardware incompatibility issue. The machine is a bare metal server from packet.com.  A t1.small in the Amsterdam datacenter.

Another model works ok.  For example, the c1.small reports:

[root@esx1:~] esxcli network nic list

Name    PCI Device    Driver  Admin Status  Link Status  Speed  Duplex  MAC Address         MTU  Description

------  ------------  ------  ------------  -----------  -----  ------  -----------------  ----  -------------------------------------------------

vmnic0  0000:01:00.0  igbn    Up            Up            1000  Full    0c:c4:7a:80:55:cc  1500  Intel Corporation I350 Gigabit Network Connection

vmnic1  0000:01:00.1  igbn    Up            Up            1000  Full    0c:c4:7a:80:55:cd  1500  Intel Corporation I350 Gigabit Network Connection

The issue is easily reproducible.  Order a t1.small from packet.com with ESXi 6.5 as the choice for operating system.

Any ideas? Is this expected or unexpected? Is it a bug?

Thanks.

[Teddy092]

Hi sdarwin5,

Just found that you're facing another issue. Is that one related to the other one you posted? If not fine.

First of all I'd like to point out that the Duplex mode of vmnic1 is currently "Half" unlike vmnic0 that is set to "Full".

Try to set vmnic1 to Full and see if there is any change. But like you said, one link is obviously up or you couldn't ssh the host or access it via the web UI.

Then, make sure that vMotion is actually enabled on vmnic0, which is the only functionnal NIC for the time being.

Finally but that should be the first thing to do. Have you checked that your hardware is compatible with ESXi 6.5?

Check that and eventually update all your firmware.

Good luck :smileyhappy:

[sdarwin5]

HI @Teddy092,

Thanks for the answer.

System Information

        Manufacturer: Supermicro

        Product Name: MBI-6418A-T7H

On the hardware compability guide VMware Compatibility Guide - System Search if I search alphabetically the results are:

Supermicro Computer Inc	MBI-6219G-T7LX	Intel Xeon E3-1500-v5 Series	ESXi 6.7 U2 6.7 U1 6.7 6.5 U3
Supermicro Computer Inc	MBI-6219G-T8HX	Intel Xeon E3-1500-v5 Series	ESXi 6.7 U2 6.7 U1 6.7 6.5 U3
Supermicro Computer Inc	PIO-2029U-N2425	Intel Xeon Platinum 8100 (Skylake-SP) Series	ESXi 6.7 U2 6.7 U1 6.7 6.5 U3

In other words, it skips MBI-6418A-T7H .  Does that omission indicates the model isn't supported? 

[Teddy092]

Hi sdarwin5​,

Unfortunately not, If you didn't find your server on the compatibility list.

Just hope this is not for a production env. but if for testing purpose, you should still be able to play around and do nice stuff with it.

But has the issue been resolved after changing the vmnic1 duplex mode to "Full" ?

Please, do not forget to click on the "Helpful" or "Correct answer" button if my post helped you out.

Thanks :smileyhappy:

[sdarwin5]

​

> But has the issue been resolved after changing the vmnic1 duplex mode to "Full" ?

At the moment, one nic is sufficient.  All of the symptoms which were originally described were also happening with vmnic0.    

vMotion had been enabled.

If I "search" specifically for MBI-6418A-T7H , it goes to a page VMware Compatibility Guide - System Search , which only mentions ESX 5.5.   Does that imply it's compatible?    BTW, on that page it doesn't say something very clear like "Compatible with 5.5.   Not Compatible with 6.5".

[Teddy092]

sdarwin5​

Yes indeed.

I also found on supermicro's website here that your server supports only ESXI 5.5U1.

Sorry.

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