Registering or deploying a virtual machine template fails

Products

• VMware vCenter Server

Issue/Introduction

Symptoms:

• Cannot register or deploy a virtual machine template.
• Registering/deploying a virtual machine template fails.
• vCenter Server reports the error:
  
  A general system occurred: the system returned an error. communication with the virtual machine might have been interrupted
  
  or
  
  The object or item referred to could not be found . DVS 0c 0c 29 50 36 ef c0 af-64 b8 38 91 c0 eb c0 35 cannot be found
   
• In the hostd.log file, you see entries similar to:
  
  [2012-01-29 13:24:32.786 F5B25B90 verbose 'vm:/vmfs/volumes/ab38ad1f-ca35e4b1/Template_Win2K3R2_x86_Std/Template_Win2K3R2_x86_Std.vmtx' opID=8CA26FD8-00065E55-e9] Unregistering callback...
  [2012-01-29 13:24:32.786 F5B25B90 verbose 'vm:/vmfs/volumes/ab38ad1f-ca35e4b1/Template_Win2K3R2_x86_Std/Template_Win2K3R2_x86_Std.vmtx' opID=8CA26FD8-00065E55-e9] ...done
  [2012-01-29 13:24:32.786 F57C4B90 info 'NetworkProvider'] GetDvsById: dvs 20 f4 0d 50 5a 6a f6 cd-58 6f 33 25 c9 89 59 4a not found
  [2012-01-29 13:24:32.786 F57C4B90 warning 'NetworkProvider'] Error getting dvs 20 f4 0d 50 5a 6a f6 cd-58 6f 33 25 c9 89 59 4a : vim.fault.NotFound
  [2012-01-29 13:24:32.787 F57C4B90 info 'ha-eventmgr'] Event 115 : The dvPort 8764 was disconnected in the virtual Distributed Switch in ha-datacenter.
  [2012-01-29 13:24:32.787 F57C4B90 verbose 'Statssvc'] EntityRemovedListener: Deleting stats for entity 464
  [2012-01-29 13:24:32.797 F5B25B90 info 'ha-eventmgr' opID=8CA26FD8-00065E55-e9] Event 116 : Removed Template_Win2K3R2_x86_Std on <FQDN> from ha-datacenter
  [2012-01-29 13:24:32.798 F5B25B90 info 'vm:/vmfs/volumes/ab38ad1f-ca35e4b1/Template_Win2K3R2_x86_Std/Template_Win2K3R2_x86_Std.vmtx' opID=8CA26FD8-00065E55-e9] State Transition (VM_STATE_UNREGISTERING -> VM_STATE_GONE)

Cause

This issue occurs when the virtual machine is attached to a virtual Distributed Switch (vDS) port group and is deployed to a cluster that is not part of that vDS.

Resolution

To resolve this issue, try one of these options:

 

• Change the virtual machine template NIC from Virtual Distributed Switch (vDS) network to Standard Switch networking:

1. Register the virtual machine template to a cluster with working vDS.

   1. Right-click the Datastore where the virtual machine template resides and click Browse Datastore.
   2. Right-click the virtual machine template name (.vmtx) and click Add to Inventory.
       
2. Right-click the virtual machine template and click Convert to Virtual Machine.
3. Right-click the virtual machine and click Edit Settings.
4. Click the network adapter and change the Network Connection to a Standard vSwitch label.
5. Click OK.
6. Right-click the virtual machine and click Template > Convert to Template.

• Remove NIC from the virtual machine template:

1. Register the virtual machine template to a cluster with working vDS.

   1. Right-click the Datastore where the virtual machine template resides and click Browse Datastore.
   2. Right-click the virtual machine template name (.vmtx) and click Add to Inventory.
       
2. Right-click the virtual machine template and click Convert to Virtual Machine.
3. Right-click the virtual machine and click Edit Settings.
4. Click the network adapter and click Remove.
5. Click OK.
6. Right-click the virtual machine and click Template > Convert to Template.