NFS Datastore Unresponsive or Invalid Due to Stale File Handles During Storage Migration
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NFS Datastore Unresponsive or Invalid Due to Stale File Handles During Storage Migration

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Article ID: 443687

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Updated On:

Products

VMware vCenter Server

Issue/Introduction

ESXi hosts may experience NFS datastore unresponsiveness or VMs may show as "Invalid" in the inventory following backend storage migration activities. This occurs due to Metadata Identity Mismatches, where the storage backend changes file attributes or identifiers (NFS objects) during the migration, causing existing NFS file handles in the ESXi kernel to become stale.

Symptoms:

  • Datastores enter an All Paths Down (APD) state.
  • vmkernel.log reports NFS41FileOpenFile... failed: Busy or WARNING: NFS41: Failed to reclaim objDesc ... status: Stale file handle.
  • Virtual Machines remain in an "Invalid" or "Disconnected" state after network connectivity is restored.

Environment

VMware ESXi 8.x

Cause

Storage migrations (e.g., LUN migration, export changes, or head swaps) alter the unique identifiers of files on the storage backend. ESXi hosts hold previous file descriptors in memory; when the storage identifies the files with new attributes, the host returns NFS4ERR_STALE errors, as the cached file handle no longer matches the object on the datastore.

Resolution

  1. Verify Storage Backend Changes: Consult with the storage administration team to verify if the migration involved export changes, head swaps, or LUN movements that could have invalidated NFS file handles.
  2. VM Re-registration: For any VMs showing as "Invalid" in the inventory: a. Unregister the affected VM from the vCenter inventory. b. Navigate to the datastore browser. c. Locate the .vmx configuration file and re-register the VM by adding it back to the inventory. This action forces the hypervisor to create new file descriptors against the new object identity on the storage.
  3. Driver Validation: Review the qedentv driver version (if applicable) against the VMware Compatibility Guide to ensure stability during high-I/O events.
  4. Log Collection: If the issue persists, collect logs for analysis. See How to collect diagnostic information for VMware products.

Additional Information

 To speak with a Support Engineer, see Contact Broadcom Support. Scroll to the bottom of the page and select your region.

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