vSphere DvSwitch Error

A strange thing happened today while migrating an ESXi host configured with DvSwitches (DvS)  from one vCenter Server to another. An error appeared:

The Distributed Virtual Switch corresponding to the proxy switches d2 6f 21 50 d3 f2 94 7b-a6 1f b2 c2 e6 aa 1f bg on the host does not exist in vCenter or does not contain the host.

Go to Host> Configuration > Networking to manually remove the invalid proxy switches if the vCenter Server is not able to automatically remove them.


So here's what I found: If you remove an ESX/ESXi host configured with DvS from a vCenter Server and migrate to another or just re-add it back to the original, it will put the host in an inconsistent networking state. OK? So what does that mean? For starters you will get the error posted above. More important, powered on virtual machines will continue to function, but new virtual machines will not be allowed to power on. So how do you fix it?
I found this on NTPRO.NL 

1. Use a vSphere Client to connect directly to the ESX/ESXi host. This workaround requires a direct connection.
2. Migrate the virtual machines off of the invalid vDS ports one by one by editing the settings of each virtual machine. This will result in prolonged network interruption to the virtual machines.
3. Choose Host > Configuration > Networking > Distributed Virtual Switch and click Remove.
4. In a vSphere Client connected to the vCenter Server system, refresh the network settings of the host. The errors are cleared.
5. Add the host back to the vDS, either manually or by using a host profile.
6. Migrate the virtual machines back to their respective ports or port groups on the vDS. To do so, right-click the vDS and choose Migrate Virtual Machine Networking. This process also results in network interruption to the virtual machines.

So the Magic Question?? -  Knowing this, should  I use DvSwitches for everything OR just use vDS for Virtual Machine Networks? I'm planning on keeping my Service Console and NFS on Standard vSwitches for now. Seems a little safer just in case you need to remove a host for some reason.

Scott Lowe does have a point though: "If people first removed ESX from the DVS, before removing the ESX host this problem would NOT happen."

Thoughts?

Link to article on  NTPRO.NL

Another good article on the subject: RTFM Education

- Scott March