vSphere 6.0 error “unable to create NFS datastore: specified key, name, or identifier already exists”
Trying to add a new NFS datastore in vSphere, the system displays the error message “Unable to create NFS datastore: specified key, name, or identifier already exists”.
An NFS datastore mapped in a VMware cluster is not seen by some ESXi hosts and the attempt to map it again causes the error shown in the picture.
Remove the datastore
To fix this matter, SSH the affected hosts and run the following command to list the configured NFS datastores:
# esxcli storage nfs list
Since the storage is configured in the selected host, you need to remove it with the command:
esxcli storage nfs remove -v DatastoreName
# esxcli storage nfs remove -v lab-nasts421.nolabnoparty.local
Executing the command to list the attached NFS datastores, no datastores are now detected.
# esxcli storage nfs list
Map the NFS datastore
Once removed, to map the NFS datastore once again run the command:
esxcli storage nfs add -H NFS_IP_Hostname -s NFS_Share -v DatastoreName
# esxcli storage nfs add -H lab-nasts421.nolabnoparty.local -s /ts421_nfs01 -v ts421_nfs01
Executing the command to list the attached NFS datastores, the configured NFS datastore is now listed.
# esxcli storage nfs list
Accessing the vSphere Web Client, go to Datastore > Related Objects > Datastores tab to check if the NFS datastore is now available in vCenter Server.
Do same steps for all the other hosts affected by this problem.
