There are several ways to change the memory and CPU resources of an NSX Manager node in a cluster.

Note that in normal operating conditions all three manager nodes must have the same CPU and memory resources. A mismatch of CPU or memory between NSX Managers in an NSX Manager cluster should only be done when transitioning from one size of NSX Manager to another size.

If you have configured resource allocation reservation for the NSX Manager VMs in VMware vCenter Server, you might need to adjust the reservation. For more information, see the vSphere documentation.

Resize Options Form Factors

Option 1

Less effort

Small, Medium or Large

 NSX requires that two managers are available at all times. If you have cluster VIP (virtual IP) configured, there will be a brief outage when the VIP switches to another node in the cluster. You can access the other two nodes directly during the outage if the VIP-assigned node is shut down for resizing. If you have deployed a load balancer for the manager nodes, health checks will be triggered when a manager goes offline. The load balancer should direct traffic to another node. Choose this option if you do not want to change the IP address of the manager nodes.
Option 2

More effort

Small, Medium, Large, or Extra Large

 Use this option when the manager nodes are deployed and cluster is formed using the NSX Manager UI. You can choose the same IP address or a different IP address for manager nodes.

Option 3

More effort

Small, Medium, Large, or Extra Large

If the manager node cluster is formed using the join node CLI command, you will need IP addresses for the three new managers. If you have cluster VIP configured, there will be a brief outage when the VIP switches to another node in the cluster. You can access the other two nodes directly during the outage in case the VIP-assigned node is deleted. If you have deployed a load balancer for the manager nodes, health checks will be triggered when a manager goes offline. The load balancer should direct traffic to another node. After all the steps are completed, you will need to reconfigure the load balancer (add the new managers and remove the old managers). You can choose the same IP address or a different IP address for manager nodes.

When you deploy a new manager node from the NSX Manager UI, if you get the error message "The repository IP address ... is not a part of the current management cluster. Please update the repository IP to the current node by running repository-ip CLI command. (Error code: 21029)," log in to the CLI of one of the existing nodes as admin and run the command set repository-ip. This will resolve the error.

Prerequisites

  • Verify that the new size satisfies the memory and CPU resources system requirements for a manager node. For more information about form factors, see "NSX Manager VM and Host Transport Node System Requirements" in the NSX Installation Guide.
  • Familiarize yourself with how to run CLI commands. For more information, see the NSX Command-Line Interface Reference. Also familiarize yourself with how to change the memory and CPU resources of a VM. For more information, see the vSphere documentation.
  • Familiarize yourself with the requirements of an NSX Manager cluster. For more information, see "NSX Manager Cluster Requirements" in the NSX Installation Guide.
  • Familiarize yourself with how to deploy NSX Manager using an OVA/OVF file. For more information, see "Install NSX Manager and Available Appliances" in the NSX Installation Guide.
  • Familiarize yourself with how to deploy an NSX Manager into a cluster. For more information, see "Deploy NSX Manager Nodes to Form a Cluster from the UI" in the NSX Installation Guide.

Procedure

  • Option 1: Resize an NSX manager node (Applicable to Small, Medium or Large form factor only. Do not use Small for Global Manager.)
    Change the CPU and memory of the existing NSX Manager nodes. You must make the change to one manager at a time so that two managers are available at all times. For form factor details, see Prerequisites.
    Note: This option does not support the resizing of NSX Managers from or to the Extra Large form factor.

    This procedure remains the same if the NSX Manager nodes are deployed manually and the cluster is formed using join node CLI or if the NSX Manager nodes are deployed and the cluster is formed using NSX Manager UI.

    1. Log in to a manager's CLI as admin and run the shutdown command.
    2. From NSX Manager UI, verify that the state of the manager cluster is DEGRADED.
    3. From VMware vSphere®, change the memory and/or CPU resources of the manager VM that was shut down.
    4. From vSphere, power on the VM. From NSX Manager UI, wait for the state of the manager cluster to be STABLE.
    5. Repeat steps 1 to 4 for the other two manager VMs.
  • Option 2 : Resize an NSX Manager node by deploying new NSX Manager nodes

    Use this option when the manager nodes are deployed and cluster is formed using the NSX Manager UI.

    1. From NSX Manager UI, delete a manager node that was deployed from NSX Manager UI.
    2. From NSX Manager UI, deploy a new manager node with the new size into the cluster with an IP address that is the same as the one used by the manager node that was deleted in step 1.
      Note: Different IP addresses can be used if from the same subnet. If you have VIP configured and if the new addresses and old addresses are in different subnets, remove the VIP using the NSX Manager UI.
    3. From NSX Manager UI, wait for the state of the manager cluster to be STABLE.
    4. Repeat steps 1 to 3 for the other manager node that was deployed from NSX Manager UI.
    5. Update the repository IP to the current node by running set repository-ip CLI command on any one of NSX Manager nodes deployed using the NSX Manager UI.
    6. Log in to the NSX Manager CLI as admin and run the get cluster config command to get the node ID of the manually deployed manager node. Then run the detach node <node-id> command to detach the manually deployed manager node from the cluster.
    7. From vSphere, power off and delete the manually deployed manager node VM.
    8. Repeat steps 2 and 3 for the other two manager VMs.
    After completing the previous steps the manager node cluster is formed using the NSX Manager UI.
  • Option 3: Resize an NSX Manager node when the manager node cluster is formed using the join node CLI command
    1. Log in to the NSX Manager CLI as admin and run the get cluster config command to get the node ID of the manually deployed manager node. Then run the detach node <node-id> command to detach the manually deployed manager node from the cluster.
    2. From vSphere, power off and delete the manually deployed manager node VM.
    3. Choose between using the NSX Manager UI or an OVA/OVF workflow to deploy a new manager node:
      • From the NSX Manager UI, deploy a new manager node with the new size into the cluster with an IP address that is the same as the one used by the manually deployed manager node.
        Note: Different IP addresses can be used if from the same subnet. If you have VIP configured and if the new addresses and old addresses are in different subnets, remove the VIP using the NSX Manager UI.
      • Or, deploy the NSX Manager node manually with the new size using the OVA/OVF workflow from the vSphere client or using the OVFtool command and join the node to NSX Manager cluster using the join node CLI command.
    4. From NSX Manager UI, wait for the state of the manager cluster to be STABLE.
    5. Repeat steps 1 and 3 for the other manually deployed manager node.

What to do next

If you completed option 2 or option 3 and have a load balancer deployed using a new IP address for the manager nodes, reconfigure the load balancer by adding the new managers and removing the old managers.