HCX : Unsupported VM files for Cold Migration
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HCX : Unsupported VM files for Cold Migration

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Article ID: 321659

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Updated On:

Products

VMware HCX VMware Cloud on AWS

Issue/Introduction

This document is created as a reference for Cold Migration failure due to .psf extension files containing at source VM datastore.

Symptoms:
Customer may report a VM missing incident in the event of failed Cold Migration workflow.

Below exceptions can be seen in the Mobility Agent logs just before the failure event:

2021-11-15T12:36:35.709Z info mobilityagent[01256] [Originator@6876 sub=NfcHandler opID=44453-TxId: 77b512ed-####-####-####-########f58-61-01-65-035e user=vpxuser:VSPHERE.LOCAL\Administrator] Received destination path of length 67: hbr-persistent-state-RDID-be660689-####-####-####-########d1d.psf
2021-11-15T12:36:35.709Z info mobilityagent[01256] [Originator@6876 sub=NfcHandler opID=44453-TxId: 77b512ed-####-####-####-########f58-61-01-65-035e user=vpxuser:VSPHERE.LOCAL\Administrator] Handling data for file of type 0 with extension psf
2021-11-15T12:36:35.709Z warning mobilityagent[01256] [Originator@6876 sub=NfcHandler opID=44453-TxId: 77b512ed-####-####-####-########f58-61-01-65-035e user=vpxuser:VSPHERE.LOCAL\Administrator] Received an unexpected file (hbr-persistent-state-RDID-be660689-####-####-####-########d1d.psf) which is not present inthe fileList. Dropping this file.
2021-11-15T12:36:35.709Z info mobilityagent[01256] [Originator@6876 sub=NfcHandler opID=44453-TxId: 77b512ed-####-####-####-########f58-61-01-65-035e user=vpxuser:VSPHERE.LOCAL\Administrator] Starting ignore with src 43 and fileSize 342265037824
2021-11-15T13:06:49.633Z error mobilityagent[01256] [Originator@6876 sub=NfcHandler opID=44453-TxId: 77b512ed-####-####-####-########f58-61-01-65-035e user=vpxuser:VSPHERE.LOCAL\Administrator] Invalid NFC_FILE_PUT forwarding: Failed with error 3

Location of MA log:

  • HCX Manager: /tmp/<Fleet-Appliance>/<Service-Mesh_Name>/<IX_appliance_Name>/var/log/vmware/Mobilityagent.log
  • IX appliance: /var/log/vmware/Mobilityagent.log

Cause

Observations during Cold Migration workflow:

  • The source relocate task between source ESXi -> source MA completed successfully.
  • During destination relocate task event between source MA and target MA, the processing of .psf files got time out.

Note: When a host takes more than 30 mins to read the .psf file due to its large size(~300GB), the destination side relocate task fails by default and as a result cold migration workflow fails.

  • Due to current limitations in HCX Mobility Agent (MA), psf files are getting IGNORED and eventually time out.
  • Post completion of source relocate task, vCenter removes VM folder from DS corresponding to the source host.

Note: psf files are created as a result of a third-party backup solution and NOT natively created by vCenter.

Resolution

The issue is resolved in HCX version 4.3.0 onwards.


Workaround:
Note: Perform a VM backup PRIOR to initiating Cold Migration.
The below procedures can be followed as a potential workaround to avoid such issues with Cold Migration.

  • Remove any .psf extension files from VM datastore prior to initiating Cold Migration.
  • Alternatively, use HCX Bulk Migration.



Additional Information

Impact/Risks:

  • This issue only impacts Cold Migration workflow and when source VM contains .psf extension files.
  • It may RESULT in the source VM becoming UNAVAILABLE.
  • There is impact to other migration services like vMotion, VR Bulk & RAV.
  • There is no impact to Network Extension services.



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