File system/storage/archive is not writable

Products

• VMware vCenter Server

Issue/Introduction

You receive critical health alert "File system/storage/archive is not writable" in VAMI interface. 

vmware-postgress-archive service is stopped.

Manual start of service is throwing error

Operation not cancellable. Please wait for it to finish...
Performing start operation on service vmware-postgres-archiver...
Error executing start on service vmware-postgres-archiver. Details {
    "detail": [
        {
            "id": "install.ciscommon.service.failstart",
            "translatable": "An error occurred while starting service '%(0)s'",
            "args": [
                "vmware-postgres-archiver"
            ],
            "localized": "An error occurred while starting service 'vmware-postgres-archiver'"
        }
    ],
    "componentKey": null,
    "problemId": null,
    "resolution": null
}
Service-control failed. Error: {
    "detail": [
        {
            "id": "install.ciscommon.service.failstart",
            "translatable": "An error occurred while starting service '%(0)s'",
            "args": [
                "vmware-postgres-archiver"
            ],
            "localized": "An error occurred while starting service 'vmware-postgres-archiver'"
        }
    ],
    "componentKey": null,
    "problemId": null,
    "resolution"

 

In  pg_archiver.log.stderr you see following

2025-03-19T12:21:50.405Z ERROR  pg_archiver could not write 131072 bytes to WAL file "#########": Read-only file system
2025-03-19T12:21:50.405Z ERROR  pg_archiver could not close file "#########": Read-only file system
(null): fatal: could not fsync file "/storage/archive/vpostgres": Read-only file system

Environment

vCenter Server 8.x

Cause

vmware-postgres-archiver service not running and /storage/archive/vpostgres is showing in logs as Read-only file system

Resolution

Take a snapshot/backup of the vCenter, referencing the following KB if using ELM;
https://knowledge.broadcom.com/external/article/313886/vmware-vcenter-in-enhanced-linked-mode-p.html

 

Reboot vCenter to start service.

After reboot FS is again in readable mode.

Additional Information

If vmware-postgres-archiver service still fails after reboot see this articles as possible solution

vmware-postgres-archiver service fails to start

vCenter PostgreSQL Archiver Service Wont Start - Dead Postgres Replication Slot