VCF Diagnostic Tool (VDT) WARN or FAIL on Core File Check

Products

• VMware vCenter Server

Issue/Introduction

After running the VCF Diagnostic Tool (VDT) on vCenter server, the report results include a FAIL or WARNING on core files or HPROF files.  See below example:

A build up of large core and HPROF files can cause log bundle generation issues including long collection time, and incomplete log content.

Environment

vCenter Server Appliance

Cause

Core files (process memory dump) and .HPROF files (Java Virtual Machine memory heap dump) are not automatically purged.  There any many causes of the generation of these files, most often innocuous. 

Resolution

Unless actively investigating a service failure on vCenter and the generation of the core/HPROF files are within a relevant time period (able to correlate with contemporary log files), these files can be removed at your discretion.  The path to the core and HPROF files are provided in the VDT output.