ESXi 3.5 Update 3 on Sun Fire X2200M2 running from USB stick does not save default gateway address

[scwilson400]

Hi all,

I am running ESXi 3.5 Update 3 on my Sun Fire X2200 M2 server via a USB memory stick. It all seemed to work OK until I configured the network. I specify a default gateway and even though I request to save it, when I go back into Configure Management Network, the default gateway has not been saved. Has anybody here had the same problems?

[nick_couchman]

Is the default gateway definitely on the same subnet as your management network? And are you using any sort of "extraordinary" network mask (e.g., something other than 255.255.255.0 or 255.255.0.0)? There have been some issues reported with VMware not handling netmasks correctly that didn't fall on the more widely used values.

[scwilson400]

Hi,

The default gateway was on a different subnet and I have now used the correct one. It remembers it correctly now, Management network tests report OK until I reboot and it loses the default gateway and hostname. I have to use the Reset option in the main menu then set everything again and not reboot. As long as I don't reboot, the settings seem to be remembered. Does this happen to anyone else? This is a shocking bug to have escaped QA for VMware.

I am using vmnic2, not sure if that is relevant?

I really am finding this release very disappointing. I have a valid license but where do I set it? When viewing my ESXi server through the Infrastructure Client it says Evaluation but I cannot find anywhere to input the license key.

[nick_couchman]

First of all, maybe make sure that your USB stick is not set to read-only mode (some of them have a little switch on them). You may also try to look at the events and see if you see any indication as to why it isn't writing the configuration correctly. I run this release and don't have issues with it not saving configuration changes, so it isn't a widespread problem in this build, but maybe there's something about how your hardware interacts with ESXi. Hard to say without more information.

Second, for the license key, it's under the Configuration tab, under Licensed Features. Hit edit, select Serial Number and enter the serial number you received.

[dominic7]

There is an ( as of yet ) unpatched bug where if you change the adapters for the management network, and then set your ip information ( including your gateway ) that information is lost. Are you modifying which vmnics are assigned to the managemenet network when you input your ip information?

[Dave_Mishchenko]

Is that due to the virtual MAC being the same as the physical for vmnic0 or some other reason?

[scwilson400]

Thanks for all the feedback.

As for the nics, I have 4 available and select the one that is not disconnected, ie, one with an ethernet cable in the back.

[dominic7]

No, it's just a logic bug. We spent a long time tracking it down with VMware.

[jjlinton]

We just had this same problem, when saving the configuration we tried Shift Y, and were able to reboot and the default gateway saved just fine.

[scwilson400]

Shift Y seemed to work for me too. What does that do?

[jjlinton]

I think when it asks you to choose yes or no to save, it wants a Capital Y instead of lowercase. That is the only thing I can think of. I have not checked this with vmware support.