Error: Could not complete network copy for file during VM template clone or import to content library.
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Error: Could not complete network copy for file during VM template clone or import to content library.

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Article ID: 445452

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Updated On:

Products

VMware vCenter Server

Issue/Introduction

  • When attempting to Clone or Import a VM template in the content library, the operation fails immediately with the following error:

    "Failed to export OVF package"
    "Could not complete network copy for file /vmfs/volumes/####-####/####/####.vmdk"

  • vCenter cls.log shows that the transfer session initiated and it is waiting for connection

    /var/log/vmware/content-library/cls.log : 

    2026-06-17T13:50:19.095+03:00 | INFO     | #################### | tomcat-http-12            | TransferSessionImpl            | Created new transfer session session_id

    YYYY-MM-DDTHH:MM:SS+03:00 | DEBUG    | ############## | tomcat-http-33            | TransferItemImpl               | Scheduling transfer item session_id/VM.nvram, not done yet
    YYYY-MM-DDTHH:MM:SS+03:00 | INFO     | null           | transferService-pool-7-thread-30 | TransferItemImpl               | Transfer of item VM.nvram in session session_id has been attempted 3 times.
    YYYY-MM-DDTHH:MM:SS+03:00 | DEBUG    | ############## | transferService-pool-7-thread-30 | HttpServerEndpointImpl         | Served endpoint for session_id/VM.nvram: Not ready
    YYYY-MM-DDTHH:MM:SS+03:00 | DEBUG    | ############## | transferService-pool-7-thread-30 | TransferItemImpl               | Session session_id, Item VM.nvram: Waiting for connection on source endpoint before transferring
    YYYY-MM-DDTHH:MM:SS+03:00 | DEBUG    | ############## | transferService-pool-7-thread-30 | TransferItemImpl               | Session session_id, Item VM.nvram Source endpoint https://vCenter-FQDN:443/cls/data/session_id/VM.nvram: Waiting for connection before transferring
    YYYY-MM-DDTHH:MM:SS+03:00 | DEBUG    | ############## | tomcat-http-33            | TransferItemImpl               | Scheduling transfer item session_id/VM.vmdk, not done yet


  • /var/log/vmware/vpxd/vpxd.log shows following session authentication error:

     YYYY-MM-DDTHH:MM:SS.566+03:00 info vpxd[2015415] [Originator@6876 sub=vpxdUtil opID=#############] [VmFileAccess] Operation: copy, SrcFile: /vmfs/volumes/###########/VM/VM.vmdk, DstFile: /vmfs/volumes/#########/contentlib-######/VM.vmdk, User: VSPHERE.LOCAL\vpxd-extension-#######, ClientIP: 127.0.0.1
     YYYY-MM-DDTHH:MM:SS.568+03:00 info vpxd[2012085] [Originator@6876 sub=vpxLro opID=2c28f8ce] [VpxLRO] -- FINISH lro-1492345802
     YYYY-MM-DDTHH:MM:SS.571+03:00 info vpxd[2012786] [Originator@6876 sub=vpxLro opID=132620a4] [VpxLRO] -- FINISH lro-1492345801
     YYYY-MM-DDTHH:MM:SS.571+03:00 info vpxd[2015415] [Originator@6876 sub=vmomi.soapStub[188172] opID=#######] SOAP request returned HTTP failure; <<io_obj p:0x00007f851ce28fc8, h:565, <UNIX ''>, <UNIX '/var/run/envoy-hgw/hgw-pipe'>>, /hgw/host-8213900/sdk>, method: copy; code: 500(Internal Server Error); fault: (vim.fault.NotAuthenticated) {
    -->    faultCause = (vmodl.MethodFault) null,
    -->    faultMessage = <unset>,
    -->    object = 'nfc.NfcManager:ha-nfc-manager',
    -->    privilegeId = "System.Read",
    -->    missingPrivileges = <unset>
    -->    msg = "Received SOAP response fault from [<<io_obj p:0x00007f851ce28fc8, h:565, <UNIX ''>, <UNIX '/var/run/envoy-hgw/hgw-pipe'>>, /hgw/host-ID###/sdk>]: copy
    --> The session is not authenticated."
    --> }

  • /var/log/vmware/applmgmt/applmgmt.log shows that the SSO authentication is failing due to SSL certificate error : 

    INFO:vmware.appliance.vapi.auth:Authorization request for service_id: com.vmware.cis.session, operation_id: create

    WARNING:vmware.appliance.extensions.authorization.authorization_sso:Reinitialize SSO Helper object as we hit SSL cert error. {[SSL: CERTIFICATE_VERIFY_FAILED] certificate verify failed: unable to get issuer certificate (_ssl.c:1017)}

Environment

  • VMware vCenter Server 8.x

Cause

This issue occurs when there is a broken certificate trust chain or an SSL certificate mismatch that prevents the applmgmt service from communicating with the Single Sign-On (SSO) service. This prevents the content library from creating the necessary transfer session for the OVF export or import operation.

Resolution

  1. Snapshot the vCenter appliance as per the best practices in VMware vCenter in Enhanced Linked Mode pre-changes snapshot (online or offline) best practice
  2. Connect to the vCenter via SSH as root user.
  3. Validate vCenter certificates using vCert tool
    • Download the vCert tool from KB vCert - Scripted vCenter expired certificate replacement and transfer it to the vCenter, follow the instructions given in KB for using the vCert tool.
    • Use option " 1. Check current certificate status" and review all the certificates if there is any error or mismatch is being reported.
  4. Replace or renew the problematic certificates using option "3. Manage certificates"
  5. Restart all the vCenter services

    service-control --stop --all
    service-control --start --all

  6. Re-try VM template clone or import to the vCenter content library, the operation should be successful now.
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