Physical to virtual conversion of a Linux virtual machine using VMware vCenter Converter Standalone fails with the error: Host key can't be retrieved

Products

• VMware vSphere ESXi

Issue/Introduction

Symptoms:

• Physical to virtual (P2V) conversion of a Linux source machine using VMware vCenter Converter Standalone 5.x fails
• You see the error:
  
  Host key can't be retrieved
  
  
• This issue does not occur when you use VMware vCenter Converter Standalone 4.x
• In the %APPDATA%\Local\VMware\VMware vCenter Converter StandaloneClient\converter-gui-X.log file, you see entries similar to:
  
  
  <YYYY-MM-DD>T<time> [05752 verbose 'ConverterDataProviderImpl'] Converter::Client::Gui::Wizard::ConverterDataProviderImpl::PropertyCollectorThread[19] - (vmodl.query.PropertyCollector.UpdateSet) {
  dynamicType = <unset>,
  version = "19",
  filterSet = (vmodl.query.PropertyCollector.FilterUpdate) [
  (vmodl.query.PropertyCollector.FilterUpdate) {
  dynamicType = <unset>,
  filter = 'vmodl.query.PropertyCollector.Filter:session[44####2e-####-####-####-a8########ee]52####52-####-####-####-65########43',
  objectSet = (vmodl.query.PropertyCollector.ObjectUpdate) [
  (vmodl.query.PropertyCollector.ObjectUpdate) {
  dynamicType = <unset>,
  kind = "modify",
  obj = 'converter.task.Task:task-3',
  changeSet = (vmodl.query.PropertyCollector.Change) [
  (vmodl.query.PropertyCollector.Change) {
  dynamicType = <unset>,
  name = "info.completeTime",
  op = "assign",
  val = "<YYYY-MM-DD>T<time>.142668Z",
  },
  (vmodl.query.PropertyCollector.Change) {
  dynamicType = <unset>,
  name = "info.error",
  op = "assign",
  val = (vmodl.fault.SystemError) {
  dynamicType = <unset>,
  faultCause = (vmodl.MethodFault) null,
  reason = "Network error. Host hostname key can't be retrieved.
  (return code 2)",
  msg = "A general system error occurred: Network error. Host hostname key can't be retrieved.
  (return code 2)",
  },
  </time></time>
  
• In the C:\Documents and Settings\All Users\Application Data\VMware\VMware vCenter Converter Standalone\logs\vmware-converter-server-X.log file, you see entries similar to:
  
  
  <YYYY-MM-DD>T<time> 732+08:00 [01320 info 'vmomi.soapStub[0]'] Resetting stub adapter for server <cs p:02adef48, PIPE:\\.\pipe\vmware-converter-worker-soap> : Closed
  <YYYY-MM-DD>T<time> 127+08:00 [02272 error 'Default'] [task,350] [LRO] Unexpected Exception: vmodl.fault.SystemError
  <YYYY-MM-DD>T<time> 142+08:00 [02272 info 'Default'] [task,379] [task-3] -- ERROR -- Convert: vmodl.fault.SystemError
  --> (vmodl.fault.SystemError) {
  --> dynamicType = <unset>,
  --> faultCause = (vmodl.MethodFault) null,
  --> reason = "Network error. Host hostname key can't be retrieved.
  --> (return code 2)",
  --> msg = "",
  --> }</time></time></time>

Environment

• VMware vCenter Converter Standalone 5.0.x
• VMware vCenter Converter Standalone 5.1.x
• VMware vCenter Converter Standalone 5.5.x
• VMware vCenter Converter Standalone 6.0.x

Cause

This issue occurs because the DSA key for SSH is unsupported in VMware vCenter Converter Standalone 5.0, 5.1, and 5.5.

Resolution

This issue is resolved in VMware vCenter Converter Standalone 5.5.1, available at Broadcom Downloads.