Prepare a target stateful cluster so that any new host joining the cluster is automatically deployed with ESXi and NSX-T VIBs.

You can select a host either within the cluster or outside of the cluster to be the reference host. You need to create a reference host because the host profile from the reference host is extracted and applied to a target host. Both N-VDS and VDS switch types support migration of VMkernel adapters.

In this procedure, as an example the instructions are to migrate vmk0 (management traffic) and vmk1 (vMotion traffic) to an N-VDS switch.

Prerequisites

Procedure

  1. On the Reference host, deploy a supported ESXi build.
    1. In vSphere, add vmk1 adapter. vmk0 is already present to serve management traffic.
  2. Configure the reference node as a transport node.
    1. Using vSphere Web Client, before migrating vmk0 and vmk1, ensure a logical switch is created in NSX-T.
    2. (Optional) Using NSX-T Manager UI, configure NSX such that after installation of NSX-T, vmk1 adapter mapped to a logical switch is migrated to the N-VDS switch.
    3. (Optional) Using NSX-T Manager UI, configure NSX-T such that after installation of NSX-T, vmk0 adapter mapped to a logical switch is migrated to the N-VDS switch.
      Note: vmk0 and vmk1 can be on different VSS or DVS switches.
    4. Using vSphere Web Client, ensure that vmk0 and vmk1 are connected to a logical switch on N-VDS switch.
  3. Extract the host profile from the reference host.
  4. In your environment, there might be a number of vmkernel adapter that need to be migrated to the N-VDS switch. However, before migrating vmk adapters from VSS/DVS to an N-VDS switch, ensure that the configuration parameters on the target host match those on the reference host.
  5. On a target host that is a standalone host:
    1. Attach the host profile to the target host.
    2. Manually configure NSX-T on the host. When configuring the host as a transport node because the host profile on the ESXi, ensure the following conditions are met.
    3. Host must belong to the same transport zone.
    4. vmk1 adapter must be connected to the same logical switch that is used by the reference host.
    5. Target host must use the same IP pool that is used by the reference host.
    6. Uplink profile, LLDP, NIOC, network mapping for install, N-VDS configured on the target host must be the same as configured on the reference host.
    7. Manually add VMkernel adapter, vmk1 and vmnic1 so that it is migrated from the VSS/DVS switch to the N-VDS switch. See vmk1 migration scenarios.
    8. Manually add management adapter, vmk0 and or vmnic0.
  6. On a target host that is part of a cluster:
    1. Attach the host profile to the stateful target cluster.
    2. Create and apply the TN profile on the cluster.
    3. To configure vmk1 and vmnic1 to be migrated, see vmk1 migration scenarios.
    4. To configure vmk0 and vmnic0 to be migrated, see vmk0 migration scenarios.
    5. To apply TN profile on the cluster.

What to do next

Scenarios when VMkernel adapters are migrated with and without host profiles applied to NSX-T.