VAAI Storage vMotion and cloning operations run slower than software copy

Products

• VMware vCenter Server
• VMware vSphere ESXi

Issue/Introduction

Symptoms:
When you are using ESXi with EMC VMAX, if storage-based hardware acceleration is enabled for vStorage APIs for Array Integration (VAAI), Storage vMotion and cloning operations might take longer to complete than when using software (host) data copy causing performance degradation.

Environment

VMware vSphere ESXi 5.0
VMware ESXi 4.1.x Embedded
VMware ESX 4.1.x
VMware ESXi 4.1.x Installable
VMware vCenter Server 4.1.x

Resolution

This issue is resolved in ESXi/ESX 4.1 Patch 03:

• VMware ESX 4.1, Patch Release ESX410-201107001
  
  For more information, see VMware ESX 4.1, Patch Release ESX410-201107001 (2000612).
  
  
• VMware ESXi 4.1, Patch Release ESXi410-201107001
  
  For more information, see VMware ESXi 4.1, Patch Release ESXi410-201107001 (2000613).
  
  
• VMware ESXi 5.0, Patch Release ESXi500-201109401-BG
  
  For more information, see VMware ESXi 5.0 Patch ESXi500-201109401-BG: Updates esx-base (1027808).

If you cannot install the patch, you can work around this issue by disabling VAAI hardware-accelerated data mover by setting the advanced parameter DataMover.HardwareAcceleratedMove to 0 (the default is 1). For more information, see Disabling the VAAI functionality in ESXi/ESX 4.1 (1033665).

Note: Environments running Enginuity 5875.135.91, 5875.139.93, or 5875.198.148 and using VAAI should upgrade to Target version Enginuity 5875.231.172. Contact your EMC Service Representative and quote solution ID emc263675.

Additional Information

To be alerted when this document is updated, click the Subscribe to Article link in the Actions box VMware ESXi 5.0 Patch ESXi500-201109401-BG: Updates esx-base
Disabling the VAAI functionality in ESXi/ESX
VMware ESX 4.1, Patch Release ESX410-201107001
VMware ESXi 4.1, Patch Release ESXi410-201107001