Rebuilding a VMX file from vmware.log in VMware ESXi can be crucial for restoring a virtual machine’s configuration. This guide will walk you through the process using SSH according KB 1023880, but with update for ESXi 8.0. It was necessary add #!/bin/ash because of error “Operation not permitted”.
Step 1: SSH into Your ESXi Host
First, ensure SSH is enabled on your ESXi host. Then, use an SSH client to connect to the host.
Step 2: Navigate to the Virtual Machine’s Directory
Change to the directory where your VM resides. This is usually under /vmfs/volumes/.
cd /vmfs/volumes/name-volume/name-vm
Step 3: Create and Prepare the Script File
Create a new file named vmxrebuild.sh and make it executable:
touch vmxrebuild.sh && chmod +x vmxrebuild.sh
Step 4: Edit the Script File for ESXi 8
Edit the vmxrebuild.sh file using the vi editor:
Run vi vmxrebuild.sh.
Press i to enter insert mode.
Copy and paste the following script (adjust for your ESXi host version).
This process extracts the necessary configuration details from the vmware.log file and recreates the VMX file, which is vital for VM configuration. Always back up your VM files before performing such operations.
I was unable to manage Virtual Machines with virtual Hardware Version 9 or older via the vSphere Client while they are in a powered on state.
Symptoms
vCenter Server Version: The problem is specific to vCenter Server version 8.0 U2 – 22385739.
Virtual Machine Hardware Version: Affected VMs are those with hardware version 9 or below.
VM State: The issue occurs when the Virtual Machine is in a powered-on state.
UI Glitches: In the vSphere Client, when attempting to open the ‘Edit Settings’ for the affected VMs, users notice red exclamation marks next to the Virtual Hardware and VM Options tabs. Additionally, the rest of the window appears empty, hindering any further action.
Impact and Risks:
The primary impact of this issue is a significant management challenge:
Users are unable to manage Virtual Machines with Virtual Hardware Version 9 or older through the vSphere Client while they remain powered on. This limitation can affect routine operations, maintenance, and potentially urgent modifications needed for these VMs.
Workarounds:
In the meantime, users can employ either of the following workarounds to manage their older VMs effectively:
Power Off the VM: By powering off the VM, the ‘Edit Settings’ window should function correctly. While this is not ideal for VMs that need to remain operational, it can be a temporary solution for making necessary changes.
Use ESXi Host Client: Alternatively, users can connect directly to the ESXi Host Client to perform the ‘Edit Settings’ operations. This method allows the VM to remain powered on, which is beneficial for critical systems that cannot afford downtime.
For Private AI in HomeLAB, I was searching for budget-friendly GPUs with a minimum of 24GB RAM. Recently, I came across the refurbished NVIDIA Tesla P40 on eBay, which boasts some intriguing specifications:
GPU Chip: GP102
Cores: 3840
TMUs: 240
ROPs: 96
Memory Size: 24 GB
Memory Type: GDDR5
Bus Width: 384 bit
Since the NVIDIA Tesla P40 comes in a full-profile form factor, we needed to acquire a PCIe riser card.
A PCIe riser card, commonly known as a “riser card,” is a hardware component essential in computer systems for facilitating the connection of expansion cards to the motherboard. Its primary role comes into play when space limitations or specific orientation requirements prevent the direct installation of expansion cards into the PCIe slots on the motherboard.
Furthermore, I needed to ensure adequate cooling, but this posed no issue. I utilized a 3D model created by MiHu_Works for a Tesla P100 blower fan adapter, which you can find at this link: Tesla P100 Blower Fan Adapter.
As for the fan, the Titan TFD-B7530M12C served the purpose effectively. You can find it on Amazon: Titan TFD-B7530M12C.
Currently, I am using a single VM with PCIe pass-through. However, it was necessary to implement specific Advanced VM parameters:
pciPassthru.use64bitMMIO = true
pciPassthru.64bitMMIOSizeGB = 64
Now, you might wonder about the performance. It’s outstanding, delivering speeds up to 16x-26x times faster than the CPU. To provide you with an idea of the performance, I conducted a llama-bench test:
I am thrilled to share my experience with the latest UCSM-plugin 4.0 for VMware vSphere 8U2, a remarkable tool that has significantly enhanced our virtualization management capabilities. Having tested its functionality across an extensive network of approximately 13 UCSM domains and 411 ESXi 8U2 hosts. A notable instance of its efficacy was observed with Alert F1236, where the Proactive HA feature seamlessly transitioned the Blade into Quarantine mode, showcasing the plugin’s advanced automation capabilities.
However, I did encounter a challenge with the configuration of Custom Alerts, particularly Alert F1705. Despite my efforts, Proactive HA failed to activate, suggesting a potential misconfiguration on my part. To streamline this process, I propose the integration of Alert F1705 into the default alert settings, thereby simplifying the setup and ensuring more efficient system monitoring.
The release of Cisco’s 4.0(0) version of the UCS Manager VMware vSphere 8U2 HTML remote client plugin marks a significant advancement in the field of virtualization administration. This plugin not only offers a comprehensive physical view of the UCS hardware inventory through the HTML client but also enhances the overall management and monitoring of the Cisco UCS physical infrastructure.
Key functionalities provided by this plugin include:
Detailed Physical Hierarchy View: Gain a clear understanding of the Cisco UCS physical structure.
Comprehensive Inventory Insights: Access detailed information on inventory, installed firmware, faults, and power and temperature statistics.
Physical Server to ESXi Host Mapping: Easily correlate your ESXi hosts with their corresponding physical servers.
Firmware Management: Efficiently manage firmware for both B and C series servers.
Direct Access to Cisco UCS Manager GUI: Launch the Cisco UCS Manager GUI directly from the plugin.
KVM Console Integration: Instantly launch KVM consoles of UCS servers for immediate access and control.
Locator LED Control: Switch the state of the locator LEDs as needed for enhanced hardware identification.
Proactive HA Fault Configuration: Customize and configure faults used in Proactive HA for improved system resilience.
Cisco UCS / Proactive HA Registration / vCenter server credentials / Register
Cisco UCS / Proactive HA Registration / Register
How Could I check it? Edit Proactive HA / Providers
It is better use Name “ADDDC_Memory_Rank_VLS” without spaces. On my picture I used “My F1705 Alerts”
Adding Custom Alert is only possible with unregistered Cisco UCS Provider, it is better to do it immediatly after Cisco UCS Manager Plugin instalation.
Now I can deceided If I will block F1705 or NOT. I personaly preffer to have F1705 Alert under Proactive HA. Then I only restart Blades with F1705. During reboot Hard-PPRpermanently remaps accesses from a designated faulty row to a designated spare row.
At the 2023 VMware Explore event in Barcelona. I was on presentation with Viviana Miranda relates to the way users authenticate to vCenter.
vSphere 8.0 Update 2 update heralds a number of groundbreaking features, with one standout enhancement in user authentication methods for vCenter. vCenter Server 8.0 Update 2 has now incorporated federated authentication capabilities with Azure Active Directory.
Dive into the details of this integration and discover how to activate it.
The Advantages of External Identity Providers
Organizations that leverage external identity providers can expect to reap substantial benefits:
- Integration with existing identity provider infrastructure to streamline processes.
- Implementation of Single Sign-On to simplify access across services.
- Adherence to the best practices of role separation between infrastructure management and identity administration.
- Utilization of robust multi-factor authentication options that come with their chosen identity providers.
Supported Identity Providers in vSphere 8.0 U2
While our focus here is the Azure Active Directory integration, it’s essential to highlight the comprehensive range of authentication methods now supported with vCenter Server 8.0 U2.
Exploring the vSphere environment, I’ve found that configuring a large Host Cache with VMFS Datastore can significantly extend reboot times.
It’s a delicate balance of performance gains versus system availability. For an in-depth look at my findings and the impact on your VMware setup, stay tuned.
Cisco UCS M5 C-series servers are affected by vulnerabilities identified by the following Common Vulnerability and Exposures (CVE) IDs:
CVE-2022-40982—Information exposure through microarchitectural state after transient execution in certain vector execution units for some Intel® Processors may allow an authenticated user to potentially enable information disclosure through local access
CVE-2022-43505—Insufficient control flow management in the BIOS firmware for some Intel® Processors may allow a privileged user to potentially enable denial of service through local access
CVE-2022-40982 aka 'Downfall, gather data sampling (GDS)'
> STATUS: VULNERABLE (Your microcode doesn't mitigate the vulnerability, and your kernel doesn't support mitigation)
> SUMMARY: CVE-2022-40982:KO
EVC Intel “Broadwell” Generation
CVE-2022-40982 aka 'Downfall, gather data sampling (GDS)'
> STATUS: NOT VULNERABLE (your CPU vendor reported your CPU model as not affected)
> SUMMARY: CVE-2022-40982:OK
Mitigation with an updated kernel
When an update of the microcode is not available via a firmware update package, you may update the Kernel with a version that implements a way to shut off AVX instruction set support. It can be achieved by adding the following kernel command line parameter:
gather_data_sampling=force
Mitigation Options
When the mitigation is enabled, there is additional latency before results of the gather load can be consumed. Although the performance impact to most workloads is minimal, specific workloads may show performance impacts of up to 50%. Depending on their threat model, customers can decide to opt-out of the mitigation.
Intel® Software Guard Extensions (Intel® SGX)
There will be an Intel SGX TCB Recovery for those Intel SGX-capable affected processors. This TCB Recovery will only attest as up-to-date when the patch has been FIT-loaded (for example, with an updated BIOS), Intel SGX has been enabled by BIOS, and hyperthreading is disabled. In this configuration, the mitigation will be locked to the enabled state. If Intel SGX is not enabled or if hyperthreading is enabled, the mitigation will not be locked, and system software can choose to enable or disable the GDS mitigation.
Links:
VMware hypervisors may be impacted by CVE-2022-40982 (https://downfall.page ) , but VMware will not release patch for this.
VMware hypervisors may be impacted by CVE-2022-40982 if they are utilizing an impacted Intel processor, but hypervisor patches are not required to resolve the vulnerability
vSphere 8U1 – Deep dive on configuring NVMe-oF (Non-Volatile Memory Express over Fabrics) for VMware vSphere datastores.
What’s new
With vSphere 8.0 update 1, VMware has completed their journey to a completely native end-to-end NVMe storage stack. Prior to 8.0U1, there was a SCSI translation layer which added some complexity to the stack and slightly decreased some of the efficiencies inherent in the NVMe protocol.
/usr/lib/vmware/secureboot/bin/secureBoot.py -h
usage: secureBoot.py [-h] [-a | -c | -s]
optional arguments:
-h, --help show this help message and exit
-a, --acceptance-level-check
Validate acceptance levels for installed vibs
-c, --check-capability
Check if the host is ready to enable secure boot
-s, --check-status Check if UEFI secure boot is enabled
Check if the host is ready to enable secure boot
/usr/lib/vmware/secureboot/bin/secureBoot.py -c
Secure boot can be enabled: All vib signatures verified. All tardisks validated. All acceptance levels validated