Knowledge Base

If you have critical production-related issues, call the VMware support hotline.

All nonproduction support requests are handled through email. Allow up to 48 hours for a response. Submit one support request per issue.

These instructions apply to VMware Infrastructure VDDK version 1.x or later, and VMware Infrastructure Perl Toolkit version 1.0 or later.

Creating an VDDK Support Request

The following is a summary of the steps to file an VDDK support request.

1.      Ensure that the error was captured in the log files.

2.      Note the approximate time of the error.

3.      Collect the required diagnostic files and information.

Three sets of data are needed to properly diagnose your VMware Infrastructure VDDK issue:

·          VDDK related information

Complete the VDDK support form. See the VMware-VDDK-Support-Form.doc in the Attachments section below of this KB document.

·          ESX Server related information

Collect ESX Server files. See http://kb.vmware.com/kb/653 .

·          VirtualCenter related information

Collect the VirtualCenter files. See http://kb.vmware.com/kb/1935 .

4.      Create the support request using your VMware Store account. Log on at http://www.vmware.com/support/sr/sr_login.jsp?followingPage=/support/sr/sr_home.jsp .

5.      Submit the support request with its associated information.

6.      FTP the diagnostic files to VMware.

Collecting VDDK Related Data

All the VDDK related information needed to evaluate your support request and help diagnose your problem is listed in the VMware VDDK Support Form.

1.      Download and save the VMware VDDK Support Form.

See the VMware-VDDK-Support-Form.doc in the Attachments section at the bottom of this KB document.

2.      Complete the form, providing as much detail about your computing environment as possible.

Include any log files and code snippets you feel might be helpful.

3.      Upload the completed form with your support request.

Collecting ESX Server Related Data

ESX Server includes a script called vm-support, which collects information that VMware technical support might request and packages that information into one file.

For ESX Server versions 2.0.x, 2.1.x, 2.5.x, and 3.0.x:

1.      See http://kb.vmware.com/kb/653 .

2.      Send the script-generated log files with your support request.

Collecting VirtualCenter Related Data

VirtualCenter provides an option that collects log information useful to VMware technical support.

1.      See the appropriate KB article for your version of VirtualCenter.

·         For VirtualCenter version 1.3.1 or later, see http://kb.vmware.com/kb/1935 .

·         For VirtualCenter versions 1.0.x, 1.1.x, and 1.2.x, see http://kb.vmware.com/kb/1365 .

2.      Set the logging option to Trivial to ensure that all information is collected and includes time stamps.

3.      Send the script-collected files with your support request.

Enhancing the Logs that are Captured

Some issues require that you submit log files by using an enhanced capture level.

1.      Set logs to Trivia when collecting files in ESX Server.

a.       On each host, open the file hostd configuration file for editing:

/etc/vmware/hostd/config.xml

b.       Set the <level> tag to trivia mode. For example:

<log>

<level>trivia</level>

</log>

2.      Set logs to Trivia when collecting files in VirtualCenter.

For Virtual Center, you can use the VI Client to configure the amount of detail that VirtualCenter collects in log files.

a.        Connect the VI Client to the VirtualCenter Server.

Choose Administration > Server Settings and select Logging Options.  

b.    Configure the level of detail for log files:

From the VirtualCenter Logging list, choose Trivia (Extended verbose) and click OK .

3.      Set all the clocks in the systems (VI Client, VirtualCenter, ESX Server, and so on), to the same time.

If you cannot synchronize all of the system clocks, note any difference between the clocks of the different systems.

4.      Reproduce the error.

5.      Record the time the error occurs.

6.      Capture the logs.

7.      FTP the files to VMware.

Uploading Files to the FTP Server

If you have an existing support request and you need to attach additional files to your support request, or to view the status of your support request:

1.      From a UNIX shell or Windows command line, type:

ftp ftpsite.vmware.com

2.      Input the Username and Password listed here:

Username : inbound

Password : inbound

Note: Logging on by using this username and password allows you to put files on the site. You cannot delete, move, rename, or modify any files, including the files you upload.

3.      To specify binary mode, type:

bin

4.      To create a directory for your support request files, type:

mkdir <YOUR SUPPORT REQUEST NUMBER>

5.      To change to the new directory, type:

cd <YOUR SUPPORT REQUEST NUMBER>

6.      To upload the files, type:

put <filename>

where <filename> is the name of the pertinent file you are uploading.

7.      Email VMware Technical Support that you have uploaded files.

Include your support request number in the email.

Debugging Tips

The following are best practices for debugging code when using VMware Infrastructure APIs.

• Generate complete logs with as much detail as possible including time stamps. Provide case samples of successful completions and failures with time stamps.
• Submit code samples that are as self-contained as possible and reproduce the problems.
• Use the VMware Infrastructure Perl Toolkit to reproduce problems found when you use VM Perl.