VMware KB: Storage migration fails with the error: Could not complete network copy for file

VMware KB: Storage migration fails with the error: Could not complete network copy for file.

Symptoms

  • Cold storage migration of a virtual machine fails
  • Cannot perform storage migration of a virtual machine
  • You see the error:
    Could not complete network copy for file
  • Simultaneously migrating virtual machine from a host and datastore fails
  • Only datastore migration fails
  • In the /var/log/vmware/vpx/vpxa.log  file on the ESX/ESXi host, you see entries similar to:
[FFAD0B90 info ‘Default’ opID=5396BFB0-00000185-d3-8c] [VpxLRO] — ERROR task-33645 — — nfc.NfcManager.copy: vim.fault.NetworkCopyFault:
–> Result:

Cause

This issue can occur due to high network latency or packet loss in the environment.

Resolution

To work around this issue when the network latency or packet loss cannot be reduced, increase the NFC timeout value on both the source and the destination host.
To increase the NFC timeout value:
  1. Open the vpxa.cfg file using a text editor.
    The vpxa.cfg file is located at:

    • ESX/ESXi 4.x – /etc/opt/vmware/vpxa
    • ESXi 5.x – /etc/vmware/vpxa  
  2. Locate the <nfc>  section within the file and modify it to:
    <config>
      <nfc>
         <timeoutsec>
             <!– 10 min client read timeout –>
             <read>600</read>
         </timeoutsec>
      </nfc>
    </config>
  3. Save and close the file.
  4. Run this command to restart the vpxa service:
    In ESX:
    service vmware-vpxa restart 
    In ESXi:
    cd /etc/init.d
    ./vpxa restart

About the Author

Nizam Mohamed

Nizam Mohamed is a technical architect, specialising in cloud solutions, virtualization and end-user computing. Other technology interests include Enterprise Technologies, Cybersecurity and Enterprise Desktop Management.

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