vmnic0 messages in vmkernel file

[jaypepin]

I am new to VMware and noticed the following error in the /var/log/vmkernel file. I am not sure what would cause the vmnic0 to go up/down for unexpected reasons. Any input would be appreciated.

Apr 9 12:05:29 vm5 vmkernel: 77:00:34:15.739 cpu0)LinNet: 2296: vmnic0: Watchdog Timed Out : jiffies = 665485504, dev->trans_start = 665485221, dev->watchdog_timeo = 200, queueStopped = 1, Config_GetOption = 0

[admin]

Check your speed / duplex setings

Is it gigE on both sides? make sure it is set to autoneg.

Is it a gigE NIC attached to a 100M switch? Force 10 100/Full on both sides.

[jaypepin]

The output from /proc/net/nicinfo/vmnic0.info (below) shows it is 1000 full duplex and autoneg is on. I don't have access to the switch but was told it is 1000 with autoneg on. The error messages have only appeared 3 times in the last three weeks. Each time it happens it last between 5 and 20 minutes and only one time for that day at different times of the day. The side affect to the problem is that we get notified from our monitoring software that the vm guests are down but they are not.

\[root@vm5 nicinfo]# more vmnic0.info

Description HP NC7782 Gigabit Server Adapter

Driver_Name bcm5700

Driver_Version 7.3.5

Bootcode_Version 5704-v3.27b

PCI_Vendor 0x14e4

PCI_Device_ID 0x1648

PCI_Subsystem_Vendor 0x0e11

PCI_Subsystem_ID 0x00d0

PCI_Revision_ID 0x10

PCI_Slot 1

PCI_Function 0

PCI_Bus 3

PCI_Bus_Speed 64-bit PCIX 133MHz

Memory 0xfdbf0000

IRQ 169

System_Device_Name vmnic0

Current_HWaddr 00:14:c2:63:8c:29

Permanent_HWaddr 00:14:c2:63:8c:29

Part_Number N/A

Link up

Auto_Negotiate on

Speed_Advertisement 10half 10full 100half 100full 1000half 1000full

Flow_Control_Advertisement pause

Speed 1000

Duplex full

Flow_Control off

State down

MTU_Size 1500

[jaypepin]

I got the same error again today. Any other suggestions, thanks.

[mbrkic]

Can you post your 'esxcfg-vswitch -l'?

Ask your network admins if Spanning Tree Protocol is disabled on the ports that ESX connects to. It is possible that STP is blocking your port.

[jaypepin]

sorry mbrkic , I'm a newbie at the VM stuff but I cannot find the esxcfg-vswitch command. The vm server is 2.5.x, is that command in 2.5.x? I will check with network team regarding the STP stuff, thanks for you help.

[mbrkic]

I did not realize that you are running 2.5.x, esxcfg-vswitch is a ESX3 command.

I was just trying to see how your network is set-up, any nic teaming? If so, what is the configuration of the uplinks (going to one switch, two switches etc.). What is assigned to SC and what to the vmkernel?

Post answers if you find that STP does not resolve it for you...