EVC issue

[KennyMacCormik]

Greetings,

I'm trying to create new cluster with EVC Nephalem mode (issue happens in any mode). I have vCSA 6.5.0.14100 Build Number 7801515. My host is VMware ESXi, 6.5.0, 7388607. I'm creating new cluster object, enabling EVC mode and trying to move my host in there. The error is like following

The host's CPU hardware should support the cluster's current Enhanced vMotion Compatibility mode, but some of the necessary CPU features are missing from the host.  Check the host's BIOS configuration to ensure that no necessary features are disabled (such as XD, VT, AES, or PCLMULQDQ for Intel, or NX for AMD). For more information, see KB articles 1003212 and 1034926.

vpxd.log shows the following

2018-02-26T14:52:38.553Z info vpxd[7F522172E700] [Originator@6876 sub=Default opID=HostMigrationActionCommand-apply-85510-ngc:70011794-99] [VpxLRO] -- ERROR task-6320 -- domain-c1205 -- vim.ClusterComputeResource.moveInto: vim.fault.EVCAdmissionFailedCPUFeaturesForMode:

--> Result:

--> (vim.fault.EVCAdmissionFailedCPUFeaturesForMode) {

-->    faultCause = (vmodl.MethodFault) null,

-->    faultMessage = <unset>,

-->    productName = <unset>,

-->    productVersion = <unset>,

-->    faults = (vmodl.MethodFault) [

-->       (vim.fault.FeatureRequirementsNotMet) {

-->          faultCause = (vmodl.MethodFault) null,

-->          faultMessage = <unset>,

-->          featureRequirement = (vim.vm.FeatureRequirement) [

-->             (vim.vm.FeatureRequirement) {

-->                key = "cpuid.IBPB",

-->                featureName = "cpuid.IBPB",

-->                value = "Bool:Min:1"

-->             },

-->             (vim.vm.FeatureRequirement) {

-->                key = "cpuid.IBRS",

-->                featureName = "cpuid.IBRS",

-->                value = "Bool:Min:1"

-->             },

-->             (vim.vm.FeatureRequirement) {

-->                key = "cpuid.STIBP",

-->                featureName = "cpuid.STIBP",

-->                value = "Bool:Min:1"

-->             }

-->          ],

-->          vm = <unset>,

-->          host = 'vim.HostSystem:ha-host'

-->          msg = "The target host does not support the virtual machine's current hardware requirements."

-->       }

-->    ],

-->    currentEVCModeKey = ""

-->    msg = "The host's CPU hardware should support the cluster's current Enhanced vMotion Compatibility mode, but some of the necessary CPU features are missing from the host.  Check the host's BIOS configuration to ensure that no necessary features are disabled (such as XD, VT, AES, or PCLMULQDQ for Intel, or NX for AMD). For more information, see KB articles 1003212 and 1034926."

--> }

--> Args:

-->

--> Arg host:

--> (ManagedObjectReference) [

-->    'vim.HostSystem:e3a5d87e-e2c2-4c61-991b-b703c695bf34:host-790'

--> ]

Using PowerCLI I can confirm that cpuid.IBRS, cpuid.IBPB and cpuid.STIBP are not exposed. I've tried to check for updates, but there are none. Is there any way to "hot add" host to EVC cluster? (If I'm adding hosts before enabling EVC it can be enabled afterwards.)

[Camero]

Can you try following steps.

Disable EVC mode for the cluster or create a cluster without EVC mode.

Add ESXi host to cluster

Enable EVC mode

[rajen450m]

Hi KennyMacCormik​

Please share the hardware make and model details of your ESXi hosts and let us know, where your vcenter is resided.

[bluefirestorm · Accepted solution]

The "features"

IBPB - indirect branch predictor barrier

IBRS - indirect branch restricted speculation

STIBP - single thread indirect branch predictors

are related to the Spectre mitigation.

Do some host have the Spectre firmware updates applied while some don't?

EDIT: It looks like VCSA build 7801515 has the Spectre patches; so it is assuming the hosts have the Spectre firmware updates which VMware and Intel has pulled back. So that could possibly explain why it is looking for IBPB, IBRS, STIBP while it is missing from the ESXi hosts. So you may want to use a VCSA that does NOT have the Spectre patches.

[Finikiez]

There is a problem in VCSA.

To fix this you need to create a cluster without hosts. Enable EVC then add hosts into cluster.