The vmxnet driver is not supported on kernels 3.3 and later

Products

• VMware vSphere ESXi

Issue/Introduction

The vmxnet driver cannot be used when it is configured with VMXNET2 or Flexible adapters on kernels 3.3 and later. The vmxnet driver is not supported on versions of the kernel later than 3.3.

Resolution

Note: Before going through the steps below, ensure a functional backup of the VM and do the following in a maintenance window. 

To resolve this issue, use a newer virtual adapter (for example, vmxnet3 or e1000).

To do so: remove the virtual network adapter, then add a new virtual network adapter and select a newer compatible adapter type, see Broadcom Compatibility Guide  

Note: When the virtual network adapter will be removed, the network configuration will be lost, it's highly recommended to back up the network configuration before removing the virtual network adapter.

For more information, see:

• Choosing a network adapter for a virtual machine (321259).
• Upgrading a virtual machine to the latest hardware version (multiple versions) (315390).