You shut down the components of a VI workload domain that runs virtualized workloads in VMware Cloud Foundation in a specific order to keep components operational by maintaining the necessary infrastructure, networking, and management services as long as possible before shutdown.

You shut down the management components for the VI workload domains before you shut down the components for the management domain.

If the NSX Manager cluster and NSX Edge cluster are shared with other VI workload domains, follow this general order:

  1. Shut down the customer workloads in all VI workload domains that share the VMware NSX® instance. Otherwise, all NSX networking services in the customer workloads will be interrupted when you shut down NSX.

  2. Shut down the VI workload domain that runs the shared NSX Edge nodes.

  3. Shut down the other VI workload domains.

Shutdown Order for a VI Workload Domain

Table 1. Shutdown Order for a VI Workload Domain

Shutdown Order

SDDC Component

1

Virtualized customer workloads

2

Site Recovery Manager for the VI workload domain

3

vSphere Replication for the VI workload domain

4

NSX Edge nodes for the VI workload domain *

5

NSX Manager nodes for the VI workload domain *

6

vSphere Cluster Services virtual machines in the VI workload domain *
7 ESXi hosts and VMware vSAN™ in the VI workload domain *

8

vCenter Server for the VI workload domain *

* For information on the shutdown steps, see below.

Shut Down the NSX Edge Nodes

You begin shutting down the NSX infrastructure in the management domain or in a VI workload domain in VMware Cloud Foundation by shutting down the NSX Edge nodes that provide north-south traffic connectivity between the physical data center networks and the NSX SDN networks

Procedure

  1. Log in to vCenter Server for the management or VI workload domain at https://<vcenter_server_fqdn>/ui as [email protected].
  2. In the VMs and templates inventory, expand the tree of workload domain vCenter Server and expand data center for the workload domain.
  3. Right-click an NSX Edge virtual machine for the management domain or VI workload domain and select Power > Shut down Guest OS.
  4. In the confirmation dialog box, click Yes.

    This operation takes several minutes to complete.

  5. Repeat the steps for the remaining NSX Edge nodes for the domain.

Shut Down the NSX Manager Nodes

You continue shutting down the NSX infrastructure for the management domain or for a VI workload domain by shutting down the three-node NSX Manager cluster by using the vSphere Client.

Procedure

  1. Log in to the management domain vCenter Server at https://<vcenter_server_fqdn>/ui as [email protected].
  2. In the VMs and templates inventory, expand the management domain vCenter Server tree and expand the management domain data center.
  3. Right-click the primary NSX manager virtual machine and select Power > Shut down Guest OS.
  4. In the confirmation dialog box, click Yes.

    This operation takes several minutes to complete.

  5. Repeat the steps for the remaining NSX Manager virtual machines.

Shut Down the vSphere Cluster Services Virtual Machines

To shut down the vSphere Cluster Services (vCLS) virtual machines in a cluster in a VI workload domain in VMware Cloud Foundation, you put the cluster in retreat mode. The retreat mode triggers clean-up of the vCLS virtual machines.

Procedure

  1. Log in to the VI workload domain vCenter Server at https://<vcenter_server_fqdn>/ui as [email protected].
  2. In the Hosts and clusters inventory, expand the tree of the VI workload domain vCenter Server and expand the data center for the VI workload domain.
  3. Select the cluster on which vCLS must be shut down.
  4. Copy the cluster domain ID domain-c(cluster_domain_id) from the URL of the browser.

    When you navigate to a cluster in the vSphere client, the URL is similar to this one:

    https://<fqdn-of-vCenter-server>/ui/app/cluster;nav=h/urn:vmomi:ClusterComputeResource:domain-c8:eef257af-fa50-455a-af7a-6899324fabe6/summary

    You copy only domain-c8.

  5. In the Host and Clusters inventory, select the vCenter Server instance and click the Configure tab.
  6. Under Advanced Settings, click the Edit Settings button.
  7. Locate the config.vcls.clusters.domain-c(number).enabled property for the domain cluster ID from Step 4 and set it to false.

    If the property is not present, add it. The entry for the cluster cannot be deleted from the vSphere Client then. However, keeping this entry is not an issue.

  8. Click Save.

Results

The vCLS monitoring service initiates the clean-up of vCLS VMs. If vSphere DRS is activated for the cluster, it stops working and you see an additional warning in the cluster summary. vSphere DRS remains deactivated until vCLS is re-activated on this cluster.

Shut Down vSAN and the ESXi Hosts in a Virtual Infrastructure Workload Domain

You use the vSAN shutdown cluster wizard in the vSphere Client to shut down gracefully the vSAN clusters in a VI workload domain in VMware Cloud Foundation. The wizard shuts down the vSAN storage and the ESXi hosts added to the cluster.

You perform this operation on all vSAN clusters in all VI workload domains.

Procedure

  1. Log in to the VI workload domain vCenter Server at https://<vcenter_server_fqdn>/ui as [email protected].
  2. In the Hosts and clusters inventory, expand the tree of the VI workload domain vCenter Server and expand the data center for the VI workload domain.
  3. For a vSAN cluster, verify the vSAN health and resynchronization status.
    1. Select the cluster and click the Monitor tab.
    2. In the left pane, navigate to vSAN > Skyline health and verify the status of each vSAN health check category.
    3. In the left pane, under vSAN > Resyncing objects, verify that all synchronization tasks are complete.
  4. If any member host is in lockdown mode, add the host's root account to the Exception Users list.
    1. Select the host in the inventory and click the Configure tab.
    2. In the left pane, select System > Security Profile.
    3. In the Lockdown Mode pane, click the Edit button.
    4. On the Exception Users page, enter root and click Add User.
    5. Click OK.
  5. Shut down the vSAN cluster.
    1. In the inventory, right-click the vSAN cluster and select vSAN > Shutdown cluster.
    2. In the Shutdown Cluster wizard, verify that all pre-checks are green and click Next.
    3. Review the vCenter Server notice and click Next.
    4. Enter a reason for performing the shutdown, and click Shutdown.
  6. Repeat Step 3 to Step 5 for other vSAN clusters in the workload domain.

Shut Down vCenter Server for a Virtual Infrastructure Workload Domain

To shut down the vCenter Server instance for a VI workload domain in VMware Cloud Foundation, you use the vSphere Client.

Prerequisites

  • Verify that all ESXi hosts in all clusters are stopped and are disconnected.
  • Verify that a Perform cluster power off action task is not running in vCenter Server.

Procedure

  1. Log in to the management domain vCenter Server at https://<vcenter_server_fqdn>/ui as [email protected].
  2. In the VMs and templates inventory, expand the management domain vCenter Server tree and expand the management domain data center.
  3. Shut down vCenter Server.
    1. Locate the vCenter Server virtual machine for the VI workload domain.
    2. Right-click the virtual machine and select Power > Shut down Guest OS.
    3. In the confirmation dialog box, click Yes.

    This operation takes several minutes to complete.