Command fails to start with 'could not create container group, status: Limit exceeded'

Products

• VMware vSphere ESX 8.x

Issue/Introduction

• Cannot enable SSH on Esxi host.
• Command fails to start and the following error is logged in /var/log/vmkernel.log:

2024-10-03T02:05:01.397Z In(182) vmkernel: cpu24:9553810 opID=c1aaef70)World: 12745: VC opID m1hkpfla-21110-auto-gag-h5:70002568-29-60-3265 maps to vmkernel opID c1aaef70
2024-10-03T02:05:01.397Z Wa(180) vmkwarning: cpu24:9553810 opID=c1aaef70)WARNING: Sched: vm 16008912: 6397: could not create container group, status: Limit exceeded
2024-10-03T02:05:01.397Z Wa(180) vmkwarning: cpu24:9553810 opID=c1aaef70)WARNING: Sched: vm 16008913: 6397: could not create container group, status: Limit exceeded

• Service such as SSH fails to be enabled with the following error in /var/log/hostd.log:

2025-01-10T08:00:14.208Z Er(163) Hostd[2099688]: [Originator@6876 sub=SysCommandPosix opID=CSMM-domain-c370915-39762-d72d sid=52738673 user=vpxuser] Failed to ForkExec /usr/lib/vmware/clusterAgent/bin/clusterAdmin: File too large
2025-01-10T08:01:18.443Z Er(163) Hostd[2099667]: [Originator@6876 sub=SysCommandPosix opID=CSMM-domain-c370915-39763-d753 sid=52738673 user=vpxuser] Failed to ForkExec /usr/lib/vmware/clusterAgent/bin/clusterAdmin: File too large

 

Environment

VMware vSphere ESXi 8.0 Update 3

Cause

If a very large number of processes are started exceeding the number allowed by the system a large number of times, or if processes fail to start due to lack of their memory resource a large number of times, it may become impossible to start new processes.This issue could cause ESXi host to become unresponsive.

Resolution

Workaround: Rebooting the Esxi will resolve the issue.

This issue has been fixed in 8.0.3 P05. This patch is made available in the latest release (GA).

Additional Information

Couldnot take SSH  -

Vmkernel.log