Deploying an OVF package fails with the error: An error occurred while communicating with the remote host

Products

• VMware vCenter Server

Issue/Introduction

Symptoms:

• Cannot deploy an OVF package
• Deploying an OVF package fails after couple of seconds, you see a message similar to:

Failed to deploy OVF package: An error occurred while communicating with the remote host.

 

• The OVF was exported from a virtual machine with an EVC enabled cluster
• The deployed virtual machine is created on the destination host but is partly configured showing the VMX volume path as name.
  
  For example:
  
  /vmfs/volumes/datastore/folder/name.vmx
   
• After the deploy fails, the destination host appears as disconnected from vCenter with a Not Reponding status but automatically reconnects after a couple of seconds

Environment

VMware vCenter Server 5.0.x
VMware vCenter Server 5.1.x
VMware vCenter Server 5.5.x

Cause

This issue occurs because the OVF template being deployed contains CPU and EVC settings. If the destination cluster has a different CPU or EVC setting, the deploy fails as the cluster is unable to satisfy requested configuration.

Resolution

To resolve this issue, edit the OVF file and remove the CpuCompatibilitySection.

 

To remove the CpuCompatibilitySection:

1. Navigate to the location of the OVF template.
2. Create a backup of the templatename.ovf and templatename.mf files.
3. Open the templatename.ovf file with a text editor.
4. Locate and remove the CpuCompatibilitySection. For example:
    
   ...
   <vmw:CpuCompatibilitySection>
   <Info>CPU compatibility constrains</Info>
   <vmw:Level vmw: ... ... ... ... ... ... />
   <vmw:Level vmw: ... ... ... ... ... ... />
   <vmw:Level vmw: ... ... ... ... ... ... />
   </vmw:CPUCompatibilitySection>
   ...
    
5. Save the templatename.ovf file.
6. Open the templatename.mf file with a text editor.
7. Locate the row that contains the SHA1 hash of templatename.ovf and remove this line.
8. Save the templatename.mf file.
9. Remove the previously failed virtual machine from inventory.
10. Redeploy the virtual machine using the modified templatename.ovf