Remove an empty folder from vSAN datastore after VM deleted by external application.

Products

• VMware vSAN

Issue/Introduction

When using third party applications to manage VMs on a vSAN datastore, on occasion when a VM is deleted from the application side, some remnants may be left in the vSAN datastore.

 

In certain situations, the deletion of the VM via an external application may remove the VM from inventory in vCenter, but leave the VM namespace folder on the vSAN datastore.

Environment

vSAN 7.X

vSAN 8.x

vSAN 9.x

Resolution

Confirm that the VM folder is empty by browsing to it on an SSH session on an ESXi host in the vSAN cluster.

 

If the folder is confirmed as empty, move back one level (to the vSAN datastore) and then run this command to remove the folder.

 

/usr/lib/vmware/osfs/bin/osfs-rmdir "folder name"

 

 

Note: Take caution with running any OSFS-type command. If uncertain with the process, please open a case with Broadcom Support to get their assistance.