ESXi may hit PSOD with Exception 14 error when ENS and IPFIX are in use due to a race condition

Products

• VMware NSX

Issue/Introduction

• ESXi host experienced PSOD which mention IPFIX and ENS as per following screenshot:
  
• Getting the following backtrace in the PSOD:
  

  <Timestamp> cpu27:2103412)Backtrace for current CPU #27, worldID=2103412, fp=0xe4
  <Timestamp> cpu27:2103412)0x453ac519bad0:[0x42001a210d88][email protected]#1.0.7.0+0x14 stack: 0x45bb1bd746c0, 0x42001a5d8e59, 0x1, 0x1c519bbd8, 0x453ac519bc10
  <Timestamp> cpu27:2103412)0x453ac519baf0:[0x42001a5d8e58]EnsIPFIXAction@(nsxt-ens-22104635)#<None>+0x99 stack: 0x453ac519bc10, 0x1, 0x45bb5bcc2180, 0xe4, 0x450241eff080 
  ...
  ...
  <Timestamp> cpu27:2103412)pcpu:27 world:2103412 name:"Ens-Lcore-2" (S)

• ENS (Enhanced Networking Stack) and Switch IPFIX (IP Flow Information Export) or VDS IPFIX are in use at the same time. (does not affect dfw IPFIX)

Environment

VMware NSX-T Data Center 3.2.3.x and earlier

Cause

In rare condition, ESXi host may experience PSOD due to a race condition between ENS and IPFIX processes.

Resolution

This issue is resolved in VMware NSX 3.2.4.0, available at Broadcom downloads.

If you are having difficulty finding and downloading software, please review the Download Broadcom products and software KB.

As for the workaround, please disable IPFIX.