Error "The target host does not support the virtual machine's current hardware requirements." while migrating virtual machine to EVC enabled cluster.

Products

• VMware vCenter Server

Issue/Introduction

A virtual machine in a standalone host fails to migrate to an existing EVC enabled cluster with following error:

The target host does not support the virtual machine's current hardware requirements. Use a cluster with Enhanced vMotion Compatibility (EVC) enabled to create a uniform set of CPU features across the cluster, or use per-VM EVC for a consistent set of CPU features for a virtual machine and allow the virtual machine to be moved to a host capable of supporting that set of CPU features. Prefer IBRS is unsupported. IBRS provides same mode protection is unsupported. Speculative Store Bypass Disable is unsupported. Predictive Store Forward Disable is unsupported. Always serializing LFENCE is unsupported. Supervisor CET state is unsupported in XSS. User CET state is unsupported in XSS. XSAVES of supervisor CET state is unsupported. XSAVES of user CET state is unsupported. Shadow Stacks are unsupported. Fast short REP MOV is unsupported. VPCLMULQDQ is unsupported. Vectorized AES is unsupported. XSAVE of Protection Key Register User State (PKRU) is unsupported. Protection Keys For User-mode Pages (PKU) is unsupported. Invalidate Process-Context Identifier (INVPCID) is unsupported. Fast string operations (Enhanced REP MOVSB/STOSB) are unsupported. PCID is unsupported. Indirect Branch Restricted Speculation is unsupported.

Environment

VMware vCenter Server Appliance 7.x
VMware vCenter Server Appliance 8.x

Cause

The EVC mode does not include all of the features of a stand alone host. When a stand alone host has more features than its corresponding EVC mode, then a VM that was powered-on on the stand alone host may not be able to be vmotioned to the EVC cluster because the cluster may be missing some features. 

Resolution

To add standalone ESXi host to the EVC enabled cluster:

• Select the standalone ESXi host and drag it to the Existing EVC enabled cluster.

OR

Create a new cluster adding standalone ESXi host with same EVC mode:

• Create a new cluster under datacenter level.
• Drag and drop standalone ESXi host to this new cluster.
• Enable EVC to this new cluster with same level of CPU mode.

Additional Information

VMware EVC and CPU Compatibility FAQ