vMotion fails with the error: remote host IP_Address failed with status Busy

Products

• VMware vCenter Server
• VMware vSphere ESXi

Issue/Introduction

Symptoms:

• Unable to vMotion the virtual machine
• When you attempt to vMotion the virtual machine, the task begins,but fails at 10%
   
• The vMotion task fails with the error:
  
  Migration to host <> failed with error Busy (195887108).
  VMotion [-nnnnn:1234567890123456 ] remotecall returned Busy
  VMotion [-nnnnn:1234567890123456 ] failed: remote host IP_Address failed with status Busy
  
  Where IP_Address is the vMotion interface IP address of the destination host
   
• In the vmkernel.log file of the destination host, you see entries similar to:
  
  cpuN:nnnn)Migrate: vm nnnn: 3044: Setting VMOTION info: Dest ts = 1234567890123456, src ip = <SourceIPAddress> dest ip = <DesintationIPAddress> Dest wid = 0 using UNSHARED swap
  cpuN:nnnn)Tcpip_Vmk: 1013: Affinitizing DestinationIPAddress to world 6789, Success
  cpuN:6789)NFSLock: 2681: failed to get lock on file nnnnnn-VirtualMachineName-abcdef.vswp 0xnnnnnnnnnnnn on NFSServerIPOrName (NFSServerIP): Busy
  cpuN:6789)WARNING: Swap: vm nnnn: 2425: Failed to open swap file '/volumes/NFS-Mount-UUID/VirtualMachineName/nnnnnn-VirtualMachineName-abcdef.vswp': Busy
  cpuN:6789)WARNING: VMotionRecv: 1265: 1234567890123456 D: failed to find a valid swapfile.
  cpuN:6789)VMotionRecv: 2639: 1234567890123456 D: Error handling message: Busy
   
• In the vmware.log file of the virtual machine, you see messages similar to:
  
  vmx| Migrate_SetFailure: Failed waiting for data. Error bad0004. Busy.
  vmx| Msg_Post: Error
  vmx| [vob.vmotion.resolve.swap.all.files.failed] vMotion migration [nnnnn:1234567890123456] failed to find a valid swapfile.
  
  Note: The preceding log excerpts are only examples. Date, time, and environmental variables may vary depending on your environment.

 

Environment

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

Cause

This issue may occur:

• Due to a minor difference in the type of swap files in ESX 4.1 and earlier ESX versions.
• When performing a vMotion of a virtual machine that has its virtual swap file (.vswp) stored on an NFS datastore.
• If vCenter is unable to validate the current swap file location due to potential network or storage related issues. 

Resolution

This issue is resolved in ESX/ESXi 4.1 Update 2 and ESXi 5.0, available at VMware Downloads.

For more information, see the ESX/ESXi 4.1 Update 2 Release Notes.

Workaround:

To work around this issue when you are unable to upgrade, or where you need to mitigate against potential network or storage related issues, you can modify the swap type setting on both the source and target host.

 

To modify the swap setting:

1. Launch the vSphere Client and log in to your vCenter Server.
2. Select the source ESX host and then click the Configuration tab.
3. Click Software > Advanced Settings > Migrate.
4. Under the Migrate options, locate the line containing Migrate.VMotionResolveSwapType.By default, it is set to 1.
5. Change the value to 0.
6. Click OK.
7. Repeat Steps 2 to 6 for the destination host.