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PCI card installation and removal recommendation for ESX 3.0.x

Details

What are the steps for adding or removing storage and network PCI cards in a ESX 3.0.x host?

Solution

Whenever you add or remove storage and network PCI cards on an ESX host running VI3, the existing NICs may get renumbered For example, vmnic0 may become vmnic10. As a result, the service console or virtual machines may lose network connectivity. It is important to save a snapshot of the current network profile prior to the PCI card addition or removal:
  1. Save a copy of the hardware profile file in the service console:

    #cp -p /etc/vmware/esx.conf /etc/vmware/esx.conf.orig

  2. Save the output of the virtual switch configuration:

    #esxcfg-vswitch -l
In the event of vmnic renaming after the PCI card installation or removal. 
 
To recover network connectivity for the ESX host:
  1. Compare the difference between the saved hardware profile with the new one:

    #sdiff /etc/vmware/esxconf.orig /etc/vmware/esx.conf

  2. Based on the listed differences for the vmnics, re-establish the virtual switch to vmnic mapping in the VMware Infrastructure Client.

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Actions
  • KB Article: 1971044
  • Updated: Nov 3, 2009
  • Products:
    VMware ACE
    VMware Consolidated Backup
    VMware ESX
    VMware GSX Server
    VMware P2V Assisstant
    VMware Player
    VMware Server
    VMware VirtualCenter
    VMware Workstation
  • Product Versions:
    VMware ESX 3.0.x