Check-in fails for a VM template backed by vVOL or vSAN ESA with error "The virtual disk is either corrupted or not a supported format"

Products

• VMware vCenter Server

Issue/Introduction

• Can't "check-in" VMs to a content library where the VM is backed by vVOL or vSAN ESA. Checking in the VM fails with the error "The virtual disk is either corrupted or not a supported format".
  
  
• The following log signature is seen in VC -  /var/log/vmware/vpxd/vpxd.log

YYYY-MM-DDTHH:MM:SS info vpxd[06289] [Originator@6876 sub=VmProv opID=###] Workflow context:
--> (vpx.vmprov.CheckinContext) {
-->    cbData = (vmodl.KeyAnyValue) [
-->       (vmodl.KeyAnyValue) {
-->          key = "workflow.startTime",
-->          value = 2230646785562
-->       },
-->       (vmodl.KeyAnyValue) {
-->          key = "workflow.actionTiming",
-->          value = (vmodl.KeyAnyValue) [
-->             (vmodl.KeyAnyValue) {
-->                key = "vpx.vmprov.RemoveSnapshot",
-->                value = "YYYY-MM-DDTHH:MM:SS.328692Z"
-->             },
-->             (vmodl.KeyAnyValue) {
-->                key = "vpx.vmprov.PromoteDisks",
-->                value = "YYYY-MM-DDTHH:MM:SS.356588Z"
-->             }
-->          ]
-->       }
-->    ],
-->    checkinSpec = (vim.vm.CheckinSpec) {
-->       snapshotName = "snapshot-name",
-->       snapshotDescription = "Snapshot used by Content Library to check out a library item containing a virtual machine template.",
-->       contentLibItemInfo = (vim.vm.ContentLibraryItemInfo) {
-->          contentLibraryItemUuid = "###",
-->          contentLibraryItemVersion = "3"
-->       },
-->       previousTemplate = 'vim.VirtualMachine:###:vm-###',
-->       previousTemplateNewName = "template-name",
-->       currentTemplateName = "template-name"
-->    },
-->    vm = 'vim.VirtualMachine:###:vm-###',
--> }
YYYY-MM-DDTHH:MM:SS  error vpxd[06289] [Originator@6876 sub=Default opID=###] [VpxLRO] -- ERROR lro-80681188 -- ### -- vm-### -- vim.VirtualMachine.checkin: :vim.fault.InvalidDiskFormat
--> Result:
--> (vim.fault.InvalidDiskFormat) {
-->    faultCause = (vmodl.MethodFault) null,
-->    faultMessage = <unset>
-->    msg = "The virtual disk is either corrupted or not a supported format."
--> }
--> Args:
-->
--> Arg spec:
--> (vim.vm.CheckinSpec) {
-->    snapshotName = "snapshot-name",
-->    snapshotDescription = "Snapshot used by Content Library to check out a library item containing a virtual machine template.",
-->    contentLibItemInfo = (vim.vm.ContentLibraryItemInfo) {
-->       contentLibraryItemUuid = "###",
-->       contentLibraryItemVersion = "3"
-->    },
-->    previousTemplate = 'vim.VirtualMachine:###:vm-###',
-->    previousTemplateNewName = "template-name",
-->    currentTemplateName = "template-name"
--> }
YYYY-MM-DDTHH:MM:SS  warning vpxd[06289] [Originator@6876 sub=Vmomi opID=###] VMOMI activation LRO###, <TCP '127.0.0.1 : 8085'>, <TCP '127.0.0.1 : 45150'>>, vm-###, vim.VirtualMachine.checkin, <vim.version.v8_0_3_0, internal, 8.0.3.0>, (null)>, N3Vim5Fault17InvalidDiskFormat9ExceptionE(Fault cause: vim.fault.InvalidDiskFormat
--> )

Environment

• vCenter 9.x
• vCenter 8.x
• vCenter 7.x

Cause

The content library has disabled the promote disk workflow for disks which support native snapshots

Resolution

This is expected behavior in vVols  and  vSAN ESA environment who's disks support native snapshots which can't be disabled.

There is no workaround available.

Additional Information

Deprecation of VMware vSphere Virtual Volumes (vVols) in VCF 9.0 and VVF 9.0