I'm scripting some VM operations using commands on ESX 3.0.1 console.

One of the steps is to rescan iSCSI software HBA, register VM and start VM.

Step 1 - Rescan iSCSI HBA:

\[root@esx7 root]# /usr/sbin/esxcfg-rescan vmhba40

Doing iSCSI discovery.  This can take a few seconds ...

Rescanning vmhba40...done.

On scsi5, removing:.

On scsi5, adding: 0:0.

That worked fine, can see the vmfs:

\[root@esx7 root]# ls -al /vmfs/volumes/VMware.Demo.AD0/

total 574528

drwxrwxrwt    1 root     root         1120 Feb 13 17:20 .

drwxrwxrwx    1 root     root          512 Mar  7 15:30 ..

-r----

    1 root     root       229376 Feb 13 17:18 .fbb.sf

-r----

    1 root     root     64946176 Feb 13 17:18 .fdc.sf

-r----

    1 root     root     255655936 Feb 13 17:18 .pbc.sf

-r----

    1 root     root     260366336 Feb 13 17:18 .sbc.sf

-r----

    1 root     root      4194304 Feb 13 17:18 .vh.sf

drwxr-xr-x    1 root     root         2940 Mar  7 15:29 VMware.Demo.ad0

Step 2 - Register VM:

\[root@esx7 root]# vmware-cmd -s register /vmfs/volumes/VMware.Demo.AD0/VMware.Demo.ad0/VMware.Demo.ad0.vmx

register(/vmfs/volumes/VMware.Demo.AD0/VMware.Demo.ad0/VMware.Demo.ad0.vmx) = 1

That worked fine too:

\[root@esx7 root]# vmware-cmd -l

/vmfs/volumes/45d25552-8aa9c523-bf7d-00093d1167c8/VMware.Demo.ad0/VMware.Demo.ad0.vmx

Step 3 - Start VM:

\[root@esx7 root]# vmware-cmd /vmfs/volumes/VMware.Demo.AD0/VMware.Demo.ad0/VMware.Demo.ad0.vmx start

VMControl error -999: Unknown error: SoapError: ServerFaultCode(1987) : (Attempt to power on a virtual machine with the .vmx file not stored on a NAS or VMFS version 3 datastore. The virtual machine files must be relocated or VMFS upgraded.)

Obviously, this step fails for some strange reason.

I tried to use LUN UUID instead of alias, but the result is the same:

\[root@esx7 root]# vmware-cmd /vmfs/volumes/45d25552-8aa9c523-bf7d-00093d1167c8/VMware.Demo.ad0/VMware.Demo.ad0.vmx start                    VMControl error -999: Unknown error: SoapError: ServerFaultCode(1987) : (Attempt to power on a virtual machine with the .vmx file not stored on a NAS or VMFS version 3 datastore. The virtual machine files must be relocated or VMFS upgraded.)

Any ideas what I'm missing?

Thaks a lot,

Dmitry