Uninstalling HCX requires removing the service from both source and destination site.

Note:

This procedure applies to non-VMC deployments. To uninstall HCX in VMC environments, see Uninstalling HCX in VMware Cloud on AWS Deployments.

A graceful uninstall of HCX appliances is always initiated from the source side. The process requires that HCX is fully functional, including site pairings and communication between source and destination site appliances.

Prerequisites

All migrations and replications, including DR operations, are finalized.

Procedure

  1. Navigate to the HCX Manager Service UI.
  2. Verify that no migration or protection operations are running.
  3. To remove all network extensions from source-site data centers, complete the following substeps:
    1. Go to Services > Network Extension.
    2. Review each stretched network and decide whether you want the network to be connected on the destination site after uninstalling HCX.
    3. Expand each extended network and click Unextend.

      The system displays information about the Unextend Network.

    4. Under Cloud Network, expand the network entry.
      Note:

      By default, the cloud network is disconnected from the cloud Edge Gateway after the network is unextended. This disconnection is done to prevent an edge gateway with dynamic routing activated from advertising the route of the network and causing a potential routing conflict with the network in the source site.

    5. (Optional) Use the check boxes to keep the cloud network connected or force unextend the network.
    6. Click Unextend.
  4. In the HCX system containing the Service Mesh configuration, complete the following substeps to delete all Service Mesh instances:
    1. Go to Interconnect > Multi-Site Service Mesh > Service Mesh.
    2. For each Service Mesh, click Delete.
      Note:

      Removing the Multi-Service Mesh from the source site also deletes it from the destination site.

  5. To disconnect all HCX site pairings, complete the following substeps:
    1. From the HCX dashboard, navigate to Site Pairing.
    2. For each site pair, click Disconnect.
  6. To remove the HCX Manager, complete the following substeps:
    Note:

    For public cloud deployments, contact your cloud service provider to remove HCX.

    1. At the destination site, navigate to the vCenter Hosts and Clusters tab.
    2. Expand the cluster where the HCX Manager is deployed and locate the virtual machine.
    3. Right-click on the HCX entry and power off the selection.
    4. Right-click on the HCX entry and select Delete from Disk.
    5. Repeat this procedure at the source site.
  7. Unregister the HCX Plug-in from the vCenter Server using the instructions on how to remove or deactivate unwanted plug-ins using the KB article, https://kb.vmware.com/s/article/1025360.
    Note:

    Remove all HCX extensions that include com.vmware.hybridity in the path. Also, remove the following extensions:

    • com.vmware.hcsp.alarm

    • com.vmware.vca.marketing.ngc.ui