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Delete All snapshot operation results in a Consolidate Helper snapshot when a datastore has insufficient disk space

Details

If you try to initiate a Delete All snapshot for a virtual machine using Snapshot Manager, and if that virtual machine is on a datastore that does not have sufficient space for the snapshot, the following message displays in VMware Infrastructure (VI) Client:

msg.hbacommon.outofspace: there is no more space for the redo log of <VMname>-0000xx.vmdk.

You are given the option to abort or retry.

If you choose Abort, the virtual machine is powered off, the snapshot is aborted, and a Consolidate Helper snapshot is created. The Snapshot Manager UI displays that Consolidate Helper snapshot. You can delete the Consolidate Helper snapshot after you have made space available.
If you click Retry, the Snapshot Manager returns to Consolidate Helper snapshot mode unless you have made more disk space available.

Solution

Free up disk space if possible, or extend the VMFS volume using VI Client.

To extend the VMFS volume:

Select the host on which the virtual machine resides and click the Configuration tab.
Select the datastore on which the virtual machine resides and click Properties.

Note: If there is no available storage, a new LUN must be presented to every ESX host that can see the LUN.
In the dialog that appears, click Add Extent and follow the prompts in the Add Extend wizard to add an extent.
Perform a rescan on every ESX host that is being presented the new LUN so that the addition of the extent is detected.
After you have extended the VMFS volume, you can check the Retry option of the Redo log pop-up.

Caution: When using Delete All in the Snapshot Manager, the snapshot furthest from the base disk is committed to its parent, causing that parent snapshot to grow. When that commit is complete, that snapshot is removed and the process starts over on the newly updated snapshot to its parent. This continues until every snapshot has been committed. This can lead to an aggressive use of additional disk space if the snapshots are large. Use care when exercising this option if there is not much space available on the datastore.

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KB Article: 1003302
Updated: Nov 17, 2009

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

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