The ESXi/ESX host logs report the message: IPMI message handler: BMC returned incorrect response
Article ID: 314381
Updated On:
Products
Issue/Introduction
Symptoms:
- In the
/var/log/vmkernel(ESX) or/var/log/messages(ESXi) log file, you see an entry similar to:IPMI message handler: BMC returned incorrect response, expected netfn A cmd XX, got netfn B cmd YY
Environment
VMware vSphere ESXi 6.x, 7.x, 8.x
Cause
This message indicates that the response received from the Baseboard Management Controller (BMC) does not match the request that was issued.
This issue may occur if the CIM and IPMI components in ESXi/ESX 4.x lose synchronization with the hardware BMC, for example, when the BMC firmware is flashed or reset. The host may lose synchronization with the hardware BMC when another software or hardware client makes a conflicting request of the BMC or due to a hardware or software defect that leads to erroneous requests and/or responses.
Resolution
If these messages are reported occasionally in the log files, you can safely ignore them. However, if the log file contains a log spew of this message, they may be symptomatic of an underlying issue. In this case, try one of the options:
- Update the BMC firmware and system BIOS to the latest version. For more information, consult your hardware vendor.
- Update the IPMI driver and SFCB CIM components on the ESX/ESXi host to the latest version.
- If the hardware health status information is not required or used, disable the CIM agent on the host. For more information, see How to disable the CIM agent on the ESX/ESXi host (1025757).
Additional Information
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