VCSA root partition "/dev/mapper/vg_root_0-lv_root_0" is full due to .esa extension files

Products

• VMware vCenter Server

Issue/Introduction

• High disk utilization of vCenter root partition. 

• Utilization is identified from the directory - /usr/lib/vmware-vsphere-ui/server/work/tmp/

• The files consuming space have file extension .esa.

Environment

VMware vCenter Server 7.0.x
VMware vCenter Server 8.0.x

Cause

The vSphere Client UI attempts to deploy a plugin that is already present on the vCenter server in a newer version. This results in the creation of .esa files.

/var/log/vmware/vsphere-ui/logs/vsphere_client_virgo.log - reporting the failed plugin deployment.  

[YYYY-MM-DDTHH:MM:SS] [INFO ] -extension-mngr-pool-1032480 73115171 338531 219577 com.vmware.vise.plugin.status.PluginStatusServiceImpl DEPLOYMENT_FAILED: Error deploying plugin package com.vmware.vrUi:8.1.2.12686166. Reason: Already present. The plugin package has already been deployed in the current vSphere Client.

Resolution

This issue is fixed in the following release:

vCenter server 8.0.3 , Build: 24262322

Patch for vCenter server 7.0.3 is yet to be released, however below workaround can be followed until then. 

Workaround:

Currently end user must manually remove these files:

rm -f /usr/lib/vmware-vsphere-ui/server/work/tmp/*.esa