VMware Horizon Community
jwininger
Enthusiast
Enthusiast

App Volumes 2.9 and ESXi 6

We've noticed that logons with AppStacks are much slower on ESXi 6 vs ESXi 5.5.    Has anyone else experienced this?  Any suggestions on how to resolve the issue?

Reply
0 Kudos
26 Replies
Ray_handels
Virtuoso
Virtuoso

Yes and no..

We have been at this with VMWare for over 6 months. Could you please check and see if a reconfigure takes up to 3 seconds per appstack/writable volume attached? So if you have a writable and 5 appstacks it should take up to 20 seconds to reconfigure. And if so, please post back??

For the record, this has got nothing to do with appvolumes but is all related to ESX. After months of testing we finally are at the point were we almost have a fix for this.

We warned them that more and more people would move towards 6.0 and Appvolumes and that this would happen.

If this is indeed the case I will post the SR we have regarding this issue so you can reference to that call..

Reply
0 Kudos
jwininger
Enthusiast
Enthusiast

On ESXi 6, the reconfigure takes at least 3 seconds per appstack, sometimes more.  We tested with three appstacks and found that the reconfigure on ESXi 5.5 always takes 1 second, while ESXi 6 took up to 13 seconds.

Can you provide more detail on how ESX is causing this?

Reply
0 Kudos
Ray_handels
Virtuoso
Virtuoso

Nope, unfortenately i can't.

As said we noticed this behaviour in April of this year and told VMware this is a serious issue (at least for us it is).

This reconfigure only takes this long if the machine is on (which is the case with Appvolumes).

Unfortenately you have to face the exact same issue as us, good thing for us is that we are not the only ones and it is indeed an ESX issue.

We received a test build last week and the issue was resolved there. Latest information I have is that a hotfix is being created for it. For the record, we are NOT using U1 of ESX6 because you would need to update to version 6.2 of view for that and we are not yet willing to go that route.

Will post SR tomorrow and keep you posted if anything changes.. Otherwise just PM me, no problem.

Reply
0 Kudos
sappomannoz
Hot Shot
Hot Shot

It's possible to mitigate those effects by using 5.5 HW. With the latest virtual HW it takes even longer to reconfigure. Hope VMware will release a fix soon!

Cristiano

Reply
0 Kudos
Ray_handels
Virtuoso
Virtuoso

I've received word that testing is almost done and hopefully we will get a fix somewhere end of next week or the week after that (because of Thanksgiving it could be a few days later).

If I have any information I will update here.

Reply
0 Kudos
jwininger
Enthusiast
Enthusiast

Can you post the SR?  I'm going to open one as well.

Thanks

Reply
0 Kudos
Ray_handels
Virtuoso
Virtuoso

Sure.

Support Request 15749158309

Just for the record. They are testing a patch and my guess is it will be GA in the week of the 30th of November.. No guarantees though Smiley Happy

Reply
0 Kudos
sappomannoz
Hot Shot
Hot Shot

Hey Ray,

is the patch just for ESXi 6 or also for ESXi 6U1a?

Cristiano

Reply
0 Kudos
Ray_handels
Virtuoso
Virtuoso

Good question. We don't have the U1 yet and they are now testing it for our environment. But to be honest i don't think they will only make it (available) for that version.

If you have an open SR I would try and ask for an update.

Reply
0 Kudos
Ray_handels
Virtuoso
Virtuoso

We received the patch this morning. Support told me they were going to distribute it to other customers as well (at least the ones not in USA due to Thanksgiving Smiley Happy Smiley Happy).

We are going to test it hopefully today, otherwise testing is planned for tomorrow.

Reply
0 Kudos
sappomannoz
Hot Shot
Hot Shot

Hullo,

was contacted today by VMware. They have to release specific patches for every ESXi build. They should prepare one for 3073146 (6u1a). They already have on for ESX6 GA

Cristiano

Reply
0 Kudos
jwininger
Enthusiast
Enthusiast

Do you know the release date for the 6u1a version of the patch?

Reply
0 Kudos
sappomannoz
Hot Shot
Hot Shot

Hello @jwiningerjwininger

unfortunately I have no idea. If you have a case open you could refer my SR 15691791206 and ask for the same patch.

Reply
0 Kudos
Ray_handels
Virtuoso
Virtuoso

I just wanted to ask you all, have you guys ever been asked by VMWare to test this?? I mean, we're at this for a long period allready and eventually had to restage an entire server with a debug version to see it being fixed. So i do know that this fix works, reconfig is done within 2 to 3 seconds. I was just interested to see if these guys took different paths to get the fix done.

Reply
0 Kudos
sappomannoz
Hot Shot
Hot Shot

No, never.

Reply
0 Kudos
Ray_handels
Virtuoso
Virtuoso

Just for the record. We've installed the patch on our production server and reconfigure is done within seconds, even if you have multiple appstacks.

This patch is only made for the vanilla version of ESX. Update 2 will have the patch on board but it will be Q1 before this will be released.

Reply
0 Kudos
sappomannoz
Hot Shot
Hot Shot

Also a patch for U1a was built

Reply
0 Kudos
jsinclair
Enthusiast
Enthusiast

Where does one get this patch from? I'm on ESXi 6 up1a and I'm having some significant performance issues...

Reply
0 Kudos
sappomannoz
Hot Shot
Hot Shot

You have to open a SR. Support should provide the patch to you

Reply
0 Kudos