Verifying the VMware vCenter Server Managed IP Address

Products

VMware vCenter Server

Issue/Introduction

This article provides steps to verify the vCenter Server Managed IP Address.

Symptoms:

Managed host disconnects from VMware vCenter Server.
The managed host disconnects from vCenter Server when any functions of the host are utilized.
vCenter Server does not receive heartbeats from the ESXi/ESX host.

Environment

VMware vCenter Server 7.0.x
VMware vCenter Server 6.7.x
VMware vCenter Server Appliance 6.7.x
VMware vCenter Server 6.x
VMware vCenter Server Appliance 6.5.x
VMware vCenter Server 6.5.x

Resolution

Cautions:

vCenter Server 7.0: When vCenter Server is multi-homed, verify the internal IP (that is reachable by the ESX/ESXi hosts) is set as the management IP. When changing the Managed IP Address from vCenter Server, you do not need to restart the ESX/ESXi management agents.
Multi-homing is not supported on 6.x. If you attempt to multi-home on vCenter 6.x, you may cause functionality issues with the vSphere Client.

If an incorrect Managed IP Address has been set, vCenter Server does not receive heartbeats from the ESX/ESXi host causing it to go into a disconnected state.

Determine the managed IP address of the vCenter Server:
1. Connect to vCenter Server with the vSphere Client
2. Click on the vCenter Server's name
3. Click Configure > Advanced Settings >
4. Under the "Name" column, click on the filter icon to the right of "Name"
5. In the search box, search for VirtualCenter.AutoManagedIPV4 and VirtualCenter.AutoManagedIPV6
6. Verify and record the listed value under these 2 entries.

2. Determine the IP address and port that the ESXi/ESX host is using for heartbeat traffic:

Connect to the ESXi host using SSH.
Check the vpxa.cfg file for the heartbeat traffic port by running the command:
- On ESXi 6.7:
  grep -i serverport /etc/vmware/vpxa/vpxa.cfg
- On ESXi 7.0U3+:
  configstorecli config current get -c esx -g services -k vpxa_solution_user_config |grep -i server_port

Ensure that the port number matches the default heartbeat port of 902.
Check the vpxa.cfg file for the managed IP address by running the command:
- On ESXi 6.7:
  grep -i serverIp /etc/vmware/vpxa/vpxa.cfg
- On ESXi 7.0U3+:
  configstorecli config current get -c esx -g services -k vpxa_solution_user_config |grep -i server_ip
Ensure that the IP address matches the managed IP address found in Step 1.

Note: If the IP address is not the same as the one noted in Step 1, see vCenter Server IP address change causes ESX hosts to disconnect (1001493).

Additional Information

VMware vCenter Server IP address change causes VMware ESX hosts to disconnect
Troubleshooting an ESXi/ESX host in non responding state
Connecting to an ESX host using an SSH client
VMware vCenter Server の管理対象 IP アドレスの確認
验证 VMware vCenter Server 受管 IP 地址
VMware ESXi ホストを vCenter Server へ再接続または追加しようとすると失敗し、次のエラーが表示される： Agent can't send heartbeats because socket address structure initialization is failing

Impact/Risks:

After adding the host to vCenter Server, the host enters Not Responding mode for 90 seconds (the default). To workaround this issue, see vCenter Server IP address change causes ESX hosts to disconnect (1001493).