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Virtual Machine on RDM Shared Storage Becomes Invalid After Migration from ESX Server 2.5x to ESX Server 3.5 or ESX Server 3i

Details

When you migrate a virtual machine that resides on RDM shared storage from an ESX Server 2.5.x host to an ESX Server 3 version 3.5 or an ESX Server 3i version 3.5 host, the virtual machine is in an invalid state after migration. The virtual machine is listed as "Invalid" in the VirtualCenter inventory.

Consider the following scenario:

Create a virtual machine on RDM storage attached to an ESX Server 2.5.4 host that is managed by a VirtualCenter Server version 1.4.
Upgrade the VirtualCenter Server to version 2.5.
Add an ESX Server 3i host to the VirtualCenter inventory.
Make the VMFS-2 LUN attached to the ESX Server 2.5 host available to the ESX Server 3i host.
Power off the virtual machine on the ESX Server 2.5 host.
Migrate the virtual machine from the ESX Server 2.5 host to the ESX Server 3i host, keeping the .vmdk file on the same VMFS volume.
Put the ESX Server 3i host into maintenance mode and perform a VMFS Upgrade operation.

The virtual machine is now invalid, and its status in the VI Client is shown as Invalid.

Solution

You can remove the virtual machine from the VirtualCenter inventory and create a new virtual machine. When you create the new virtual machine, make sure you map to the correct RDM. As an alternative, contact VMware Customer Support.

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KB Article: 1003092
Updated: Aug 14, 2009

Products:
VMware ESX
VMware VirtualCenter
Product Versions:
VMware ESX 3.5.x
VMware ESXi 3.5.x Embedded
VMware ESXi 3.5.x Installable
VMware VirtualCenter 2.5.x

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