Cannot consolidate disks due to lock files

[Seiya789]

Hello everybody,

I have a trouble on my servers since last week-end.

My configuration ;

3 server in cluster

each server are on esxi 6.5 update 1.

vcenter version is 6.5.0.10000 (the linux appliance)

vdp version : 6.1.5.13 (major version)

I have a remote cluster in another site, it's note the same vCenter.

I test vdp since 3 weeks, it's working fine except last week-end

I do a backup of a lot of VM and I do juste 1 replication on another site. This another site does a replication on my site.

No reals problems until last week-end.

I have 3 VM in production, they are online but I have a warning "the disks need to be consolidated".

When i run the consolidation, I have an error message : unable to consolidate due to a lock file.

I have read a lot of web page for this problem.

I tried this :

1) consolidate => error

2) remove all snapshot and consolidate => error

3) move VM another ESX and consolidate => error

I have runned this command line :

vmkfstools -D /vmfs/volumes/DATASTORE/VM_NAME/vm-flat.vmdk

The result is 2 lines who gives me the mac address of two hardwares.

RO Owner[0] HB Offset 3440640 5a538437-c3803c75-fbfc-MACADDRESS1

RO Owner[1] HB Offset 3997696 5a1fec26-f25945d0-692a-MACADDRESS3

MACADDRESS1 is the vmnic2 of my ESX1, MACADDRESS3 is the vmnic2 of my ESX3. My VM are running at this moment on ESX3.

vmnic2 is dedicated to vmotion network on each ESX.

I tried to move the VM on another ESX to reboot the ESX with the mac address but I have always my VM locked by a vmnic. Always.

When I move my VM to ESX2, vminc2 of ESX2 locks my VM and I can't consolidate.

I tried to disable vmotion network, no success. I have reboot all my ESX in my cluster (after migrate VM on another ESX), no success.

Reboot vdp appliance too, no success.

I can't shutdown my VM (except the vCenter appliance who is impacted by this problem). They are online in working hours.

What solution I can try if I power off the machines ?

The last solution is to clone the VM, but I would like to have another solution if the trouble is back in few weeks.

I am open to any solution/suggestion

Thank you very much for your help and ideas.

Ludovic

[Seiya789 · Accepted solution]

Hi,

finally, I have noticed that the second mac address was the the mac address of the vmnic2's server where was the vdp appliance.

I have powered off the vdp server, then the consolidation has worked for the 3 VMs

But now, I can't start my vdp appliance because :

Cannot open the disk ‘…vmdk’ or one of the snapshot disks it depends on

The vmdk exists in the correct location.

What I have to do ? Any tools to use ?

Thank you for your help.

[hussainbte]

After the consolidation of the VMs is done, please check each VM to make sure they are not using any delta files.

another confirmation would be when you do a vmkfstools -D on the files it should only show the mac address of ESXI host nic used by management n/w.. not vmotion.

once confirmed that the vms are fine.. check the vdp appliance to see if it has additional vmdks from any vms connected to it.. if yes remove the additional vmdks and power on the appliance

[Seiya789]

Thank you !

I have seen 3 additionnals disks on the vdp appliance, I have removed them, start the appliance, it' OK

Everything is good now !