vMotion or DRS 'Migration was Canceled because the amount of changing memory' When Due to Network Problems
Article ID: 377174
Updated On:
Products
Issue/Introduction
Users may experience vMotion or DRS operations failing with the error message: "The migration was canceled because the amount of changing memory for the virtual machine was greater than the available network bandwidth." This issue can occur even when there appears to be sufficient network bandwidth available.
Environment
- VMware vSphere 7.0 and later
- Environments using vMotion or DRS for VM migration
Cause
For the purposes of this article, this error message indicates that the vMotion or DRS operation is unable to complete due to network-related issues, rather than actual memory changes or bandwidth limitations.
Resolution
1. Verify network connectivity between the source and destination hosts. See Troubleshooting vMotion fails with network errors
2. Check the VMkernel port configuration for vMotion on both the source and destination hosts:
a. Log in to the vSphere Client.
b. Select the host in the inventory.
c. Go to the "Configure" tab.
d. Under "Networking", select "VMkernel adapters".
e. Verify that the VMkernel adapter used for vMotion is properly configured and enabled.
3. Examine the network switches and physical connections:
a. Ensure that all physical network connections are secure.
b. Check for any errors or port issues on the physical switches.
4. Review firewall settings:
a. Verify that the required ports for vMotion are open between the source and destination hosts.
b. Consult the vSphere Security documentation for the current list of required ports.
5. Analyze network performance:
a. Use network monitoring tools to check for congestion or packet loss.
b. Consider temporarily increasing the network bandwidth allocated to vMotion, if possible.
6. Check for driver and firmware compatibility:
a. Review the VMware Compatibility Guide for your network adapters.
b. Update network adapter drivers and firmware if necessary.
7. If the issue persists, collect diagnostic information:
a. Generate a support bundle from both the source and destination hosts.
b. Include the vCenter Server logs if DRS is involved.
c. Contact VMware support for further assistance.
Additional Information
The error message can also be seen due to VMs being in very high input/output states or because of network bandwidth limitations. See vMotion fails with the error: The migration was cancelled because the amount of changing memory for the VM was greater than the available network bandwidth, meaning the migration was not making forward progress.
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