vCenter with Windows Server Failover Clustering - failed to lock the file

[Soph1]

Hello all,

I'm currently working on a MSCS vCenter cluster. As described in the  "VMware vCenter Server 6.0 Availability Guide" it should be possible to add the RDM disks to both VMs.

If I try to start the second vCenter VM it throws the error "Failed to lock the file". For me this message looks right because the first VM has a lock on the RDM disks. But for the clustering I need both VMs to be connected to the RDMs.

Is there anything I have missed?

=> http://www.vmware.com/files/pdf/techpaper/vmware-vcenter-server-6.0-availability-guide.pdf page 24.

Regards & Thanks for the help,

Soph1

[rcporto · Accepted solution]

You're using a dedicated SCSI controller just for the RDM disks and with bus sharing configured to Physical on both nodes ? If not, see page 18.

[Sanuj]

Make sure you are adding the RDM disk to second SCSI controller 1:0 . this will automatically create a new second controller . For the secondary VM create a new disk from the existing disk file to the primary VM.

Also make sure that the SCSI bus sharing mode you have selected to physical compatibility mode on both vm's new controllers ..this is required  If you are planing to keep these vcenter VM's on a separate hosts.