"Unable to apply DRS resource settings on host" error in vCenter Server

Products

• VMware vSphere ESXi 8.0
• VMware vSphere ESXi 7.0
• VMware vSphere ESXi 6.0
• VMware vCenter Server 8.0
• VMware vCenter Server 7.0
• VMware vCenter Server 6.0

Issue/Introduction

An ESX host in vCenter Server reports the error:

• Unable to apply DRS resource settings on host. The operation is not allowed in the current state. This can significantly reduce the effectiveness of DRS.
• WARNING: UserDuct: 184: Cannot allocate a new data segment, out of memory.

Environment

• VMware vCenter Server
• VMware vSphere ESXi

Resolution

• This warning does not have a direct impact on production virtual machines but can result in resource contention within the cluster if DRS is not functioning correctly.
• To resolve this issue, restart the management agents (hostd and vpxa) on the host.

• • /etc/init.d/hostd restart
  • /etc/init.d/vpxa restart

Workaround

Warning: The following steps should not be executed on a VSAN, NSX, VCD, or VMware Horizon enabled cluster.

If the problem persists after restarting the management agents, remove the host from the cluster and then re-add it:

1. Place the host into maintenance mode.

Note: If DRS does not migrate the virtual machines to other hosts, migrate them manually.

2. Ensure that no virtual machines are running on the host.
3. Remove the ESXi/ESX host by dragging it out of the cluster.
4. Re-add the ESXi/ESX host by dragging it into the cluster.
5. Exit from maintenance mode.

Additional Information

This issue can also occur if a powered-on VM was moved to a resource pool.

• See Error: "Unable to apply DRS resource settings on host" after a Powered on VM moves to a Resource Pool for more details.
• VMware Skyline Health Diagnostics for vSphere - FAQ
• "Unable to apply DRS resource settings on host" warning in summary tab of the ESXi host
• Restarting the Management agents in ESXi

 

In the vCenter UI cluster is showing the below event failure alert:

 

Unable to apply DRS resource settings on host <Hostname> This can significantly reduce the effectiveness of DRS.

• Event Type Description:
  • The DRS resource settings could not be successfully applied to a host in the cluster. This condition is typically transient.
• Possible Causes:
  • DRS resource settings could not be applied to a host. Action: DRS generates resource settings that map the cluster values to the host. However, in this case, the values could not be successfully applied to the host. This is typically a transient error caused by delayed synchronization from DRS to the host. If this condition persists, enable debug logging in vpxa and contact VMware Support.
• Related events:
  • There are no related events.