Exchange server keeps getting multiple preferred IP addresses

how many vNics do you have on the VM?  is the server set to static IP or DHCP?  where are you seeing the 2nd IP address.. in ipconfig?

There are 3 nics assigned to both Exchange servers. One is for the network and the other two are for communication to each other. The second IP address when you type in ipconfig /all is right below the current Preferred and its set as a static IP.

can you send a screenshot of the ipconfig/all pls?

also what is the reasoning in having 2 nics between the 2 exchange boxes?

We rebooted the server and the IP address went away but once it comes back i will add a screenshot. The other two NICS are used for the Heartbeat and Administration. I didn't set them up so don't exactly what there used for.

The IP address is back, here is the screenshot.

ip.PNG

ok so your exchange servers are clustered.  when clustered there are "virtual" services that get created so that your exchange service is highly available (hence the extra IPs).  the heartbeat network isn't really needed anymore in Win 2008 as you already have 2 networks that the cluster can use for cluster communications but you can ignore that for now.

given above, the issue is not your extra IP address, all that is supposed to be there.  you need to start checking the health of the cluster (see if it is constantly failing over on its own between the two hosts, use Failover Cluster Manager), and if thats fine, check your vmware infrastructure to make sure 1) your virtual cluster-in-a-box is configured correctly, and 2) you don't have issues with connectivity to the ESXi hosts themselves.  also do a ping -t to one of the VMs from a non-VM and make sure there are no strange drops..

more to do but start with this first

Run DHCP client monitoring in the network there you will found the DHCP discover packets.

This will give you info of DHCP Server who is giving you the IP address.