Convert powered-on VM stuck at 3% with "Network error. Host X.X.X.X key can't be retrieved" error in vmware converter

Products

• VMware
• VMware vCenter Server

Issue/Introduction

• When converting powered-on Linux VM, the process stuck at 3% with error  "Network error. Host X.X.X.X key can't be retrieved" 
  
  

• Below logs can be used to confirm if the issue matches this connection failure: 

  • VMware-converter-server.log reports "Network error. Host X.X.X.X key can't be retrieved" error: 

   

  YYYY-MM-DDTHH:MM:SS error vmware-converter-server[06080] [Originator@6876 sub=Default] [task,352] [LRO] Unexpected Exception: Fault cause: vmodl.fault.SystemError
  --> 
  YYYY-MM-DDTHH:MM:SS info vmware-converter-server[06080] [Originator@6876 sub=Default] [task,381] [task-153] -- ERROR -- Convert: vmodl.fault.SystemError
  --> (vmodl.fault.SystemError) {
  -->    faultCause = (vmodl.MethodFault) null, 
  -->    faultMessage = <unset>, 
  -->    reason = "Network error. Host X.X.X.X key can't be retrieved.
  -->  (return code 2)"
  -->    msg = ""
  --> }

   

• VMware-converter-helper.log indicates that the process fails when helper VM tries to connect to source VM and check its fingerprint with /usr/lib/vmware-converter/checkSshFingerprint.sh: 

  YYYY-MM-DDTHH:MM:SS info vmware-converter-helper[F3767B70] [Originator@6876 sub=task-1] Check SSH fingerpint of host <source VM ip>
  YYYY-MM-DDTHH:MM:SS verbose vmware-converter-helper[F3767B70] [Originator@6876 sub=task-1] LD_LIBRARY_PATH=/usr/lib/vmware-converter
  YYYY-MM-DDTHH:MM:SS verbose vmware-converter-helper[F3767B70] [Originator@6876 sub=task-1] PATH=/sbin:/usr/sbin:/bin:/usr/bin
  YYYY-MM-DDTHH:MM:SS verbose vmware-converter-helper[F3767B70] [Originator@6876 sub=task-1] LogCommand: Command '/usr/lib/vmware-converter/checkSshFingerprint.sh' with the following arguments:
  YYYY-MM-DDTHH:MM:SS verbose vmware-converter-helper[F3767B70] [Originator@6876 sub=task-1] args[0]: --pathToBinaries
  YYYY-MM-DDTHH:MM:SS verbose vmware-converter-helper[F3767B70] [Originator@6876 sub=task-1] args[1]: /usr/lib/vmware-converter/bin/
  YYYY-MM-DDTHH:MM:SS verbose vmware-converter-helper[F3767B70] [Originator@6876 sub=task-1] args[2]: --host
  YYYY-MM-DDTHH:MM:SS verbose vmware-converter-helper[F3767B70] [Originator@6876 sub=task-1] args[3]: <source VM ip>
  YYYY-MM-DDTHH:MM:SS verbose vmware-converter-helper[F3767B70] [Originator@6876 sub=task-1] args[4]: --port
  YYYY-MM-DDTHH:MM:SS verbose vmware-converter-helper[F3767B70] [Originator@6876 sub=task-1] args[5]: 22
  YYYY-MM-DDTHH:MM:SS verbose vmware-converter-helper[F3767B70] [Originator@6876 sub=task-1] args[6]: --fingerprint
  YYYY-MM-DDTHH:MM:SS verbose vmware-converter-helper[F3767B70] [Originator@6876 sub=task-1] args[7]: XX:XX:XX:XX:XX:XX:XX:XX:XX:XX:XX:XX:XX:XX:XX:XX
  YYYY-MM-DDTHH:MM:SS verbose vmware-converter-helper[F3303B70] [Originator@6876 sub=Default.HTTPService] HTTP Response: Auto-completing at 129/129 bytes
  YYYY-MM-DDTHH:MM:SS verbose vmware-converter-helper[F3303B70] [Originator@6876 sub=Default] Responded to service state request
  YYYY-MM-DDTHH:MM:SS verbose vmware-converter-helper[F3767B70] [Originator@6876 sub=task-1] LogResult: Command return code: 2
  YYYY-MM-DDTHH:MM:SS verbose vmware-converter-helper[F3767B70] [Originator@6876 sub=task-1] LogResult: Command stderr:
  --> Network error. Host <source VM ip> key can't be retrieved

   

Cause

The issue is due to network connection failure between helper VM and the source machine to be converted  as per Required VMware vCenter Converter ports , in P2V scenario, helper VM must be able to connect to source machine via ssh port 22)

Resolution

Allow SSH (port 22) connection between helper VM and source VM on firewall and make sure the connection between helper VM and source VM can be established

Additional Information

Impact/Risks:

• Unable to convert Linux virtual machine