Strange errors on a standalone ESXi server

[clopmz]

Hi all,

I have an ESXi 4 host (Update 1, build 381591, clean install) standalone installed. This server is not connected to any vCenter server, it is only managed via vSphere Client. Under /var/log/messages I see a lot of errors like this:

Jun  8 16:17:40 hobbiton Hostd: [2011-06-08 16:17:40.012 3D1F7B90 verbose 'Statssvc'] HostCtl exception Unable to complete Sysinfo operation.  Please see the VMkernel log file for more details.
Jun  8 16:17:40 hobbiton Hostd: [2011-06-08 16:17:40.017 3D1F7B90 verbose 'Statssvc'] HostCtl exception Unable to complete Sysinfo operation.  Please see the VMkernel log file for more details.
Jun  8 16:17:40 hobbiton Hostd: [2011-06-08 16:17:40.022 3D1F7B90 verbose 'Statssvc'] HostCtl exception Unable to complete Sysinfo operation.  Please see the VMkernel log file for more details.
Jun  8 16:17:40 hobbiton Hostd: [2011-06-08 16:17:40.026 3D1F7B90 verbose 'Statssvc'] HostCtl exception Unable to complete Sysinfo operation.  Please see the VMkernel log file for more details.
Jun  8 16:18:00 hobbiton Hostd: [2011-06-08 16:18:00.011 3C740B90 verbose 'Statssvc'] HostCtl exception Unable to complete Sysinfo operation.  Please see the VMkernel log file for more details.
Jun  8 16:18:00 hobbiton Hostd: [2011-06-08 16:18:00.016 3C740B90 verbose 'Statssvc'] HostCtl exception Unable to complete Sysinfo operation.  Please see the VMkernel log file for more details.
Jun  8 16:18:00 hobbiton Hostd: [2011-06-08 16:18:00.020 3C740B90 verbose 'Statssvc'] HostCtl exception Unable to complete Sysinfo operation.  Please see the VMkernel log file for more details.
Jun  8 16:18:00 hobbiton Hostd: [2011-06-08 16:18:00.024 3C740B90 verbose 'Statssvc'] HostCtl exception Unable to complete Sysinfo operation.  Please see the VMkernel log file for more details.
Jun  8 16:18:20 hobbiton Hostd: [2011-06-08 16:18:20.012 3D191B90 verbose 'Statssvc'] HostCtl exception Unable to complete Sysinfo operation.  Please see the VMkernel log file for more details.
Jun  8 16:18:20 hobbiton Hostd: [2011-06-08 16:18:20.017 3D191B90 verbose 'Statssvc'] HostCtl exception Unable to complete Sysinfo operation.  Please see the VMkernel log file for more details.
Jun  8 16:18:20 hobbiton Hostd: [2011-06-08 16:18:20.021 3D191B90 verbose 'Statssvc'] HostCtl exception Unable to complete Sysinfo operation.  Please see the VMkernel log file for more details.
Jun  8 16:18:20 hobbiton Hostd: [2011-06-08 16:18:20.025 3D191B90 verbose 'Statssvc'] HostCtl exception Unable to complete Sysinfo operation.  Please see the VMkernel log file for more details.

According to this kb, http://kb.vmware.com/kb/1037671 is solved under ESXi 4 Update 1, and my host is this version but produces these errors. In the same KB, appoints to another kb, http://kb.vmware.com/kb/1003490 and as a work around restart management agents can resolve this problem ... But my ESXi is not connected to any vCenter server and doesn't shows me this option.

Is this a bug?? Is it possible to resolve this problem.

Many thanks.

[MauroBonder]

let´s do a test.

go at configuration > networking > vswitch0 propierties > service console > edit settings > see if Management traffic there check box, if no, click to check this box, and try connect.

Please, don't forget the awarding points for "helpful" and/or "correct" answers. 

Mauro Bonder - Moderator

[clopmz]

Nothing changes ... Errors continues ...

[Ramverma]

Restart the management agents

[clopmz]

Restart management agents is not possible in a standalone ESXi server, like previously I say. But I have restart this host, and errors continues ..

[MauroBonder]

when you go add to vcenter you not receive any message of error ?

DNs with FQND works fine ?

If possible post more logs about vmkernel.

check this kb if help http://kb.vmware.com/selfservice/microsites/search.do?language=en_US&cmd=displayKC&externalId=103098...

i don´t know if helps because i don´t now what is message of error .

maybe a reboot is a possible test.

[clopmz]

This host is not connected to any vCenter Server. And I don't have a vCenter to connect to in this LAN.

[Loc2262]

I am getting the very same entries in my /var/log/messages.

I'm using the free VMWare ESXi 4.1u1, standalone, no vCenter, managed  through vSphere client.

The messages appear exactly every 20 seconds, 4-5 of them.

They sure look like some service is trying to record performance stats or similar, but can't. Even though there does not seem to be an ill effect stemming from this, it rather disturbs me to have the log filling with those errors. Anyone have any idea how to fix this?

[Loc2262]

After some experimentation, I have some new information considering this.

When tailing /var/log/messages, I noticed that the number of error messages that were logged every 20 seconds varied with the number of virtual machines I had powered on.

So I powered around a bit, trying to find out if it's some certain, and always the same, VMs that trigger the errors. And indeed that was the case, so I proceeded to try and find out the similarities between those VMs.

My server has two physical HDDs. Some of my VMs use both of them (software RAID-1), but most reside only on one. And something odd struck me: Some of those VMs which only reside on one HDD still showed both of them in the "Datastore" list of the vSphere client. I had noticed that before, but had not paid further attention to this. Until now.

So, lo and behold - exactly those VMs that show both HDDs - despite they reside only on one - each caused one log error line to appear every 20 seconds (when the statssvc collects its regular statistics data)!

Some further investigations then showed that all of those VMs had virtual CD drives configured with an ISO image that is located on the HDD on which the VM does not reside.

Unmounting those ISO images both caused the HDD to disappear from the vSphere client list, and caused the error to stop appearing in the log!

So we know now that it seemingly has something to do with statssvc trying to retrieve statistics data from a physical storage device on which the VM does not have an HDD file, but from which a CD image is mounted.

[grasshopper]

Nice find Loc!  Setting the CDROM to "Client Device" is in fact the fix to resolve those annoying sysinfo errors.  Hopefully the OP awards you some well earned points for that one.

[Loc2262]

Should we report this to VMWare? I suppose this behavior can rather be considered a bug which they should try fixing.

Or are they reading along here and know about this issue anyway?

[bulletprooffool]

If you believe you have a bug - please report it.

If you do not have an active support agreement try:

If you go to the Support request page (need to login with  your VMware store account), towards the bottom you will see a link for  "If you do not have an active support agreement and want to alert us to a  problem, file your request here ".  Click it.

Thanks

[Loc2262]

I just tried to find said page... Unfortunately I don't seem to be able to. 😐

@BPF: Could you please give me a link or some further directions to the page where this "If you do not have..." link is supposed to be? Admittedly, the VMWare web page is not really overly intuitive in terms of finding stuff...

Thanks!