Cross vCenter Migration fails when targeting a Storage or Datastore cluster instead of an individual datastore

Products

• VMware vCenter Server

Issue/Introduction

During the Executing prechecks for a Clone virtual machine operation as part of a cross vCenter migration, the following error is displayed in the vSphere Client:

Operation failed!
Task name Clone virtual machine
Target <VM_NAME>
Status The request refers to an unexpected or unknown type.

/var/log/vmware/vpxd.log may show a similar entry:

YYYY-MM-DDTHH:MM:SS info vpxd[55252] [Originator@6876 sub=Default opID=lxjxp5eh-######-auto-xl5i-h5:70440992-e7] [VpxLRO] -- ERROR task-####### -- vm-##### -- vim.VirtualMachine.clone: vmodl.fault.InvalidType:
--> Result:
--> (vmodl.fault.InvalidType) {
-->    faultCause = (vmodl.MethodFault) null,
-->    faultMessage = <unset>,
-->    argument = "ManagedObjectReference"
-->    msg = "The request refers to an unexpected or unknown type."
--> }

Environment

VMware vSphere

Cause

Storage or Datastore Clusters are not supported when performing a cross vCenter migration.

Resolution

Ensure that an individual datastore is selected as the target storage instead of a Storage or Datastore Cluster.

Additional Information

vCenter Server and Host Management - VMware vSphere 8.0

Export or Clone a Virtual Machine with Advanced Cross vCenter vMotion