Troubleshooting Virtual Machine Problems

Failure Creating a Virtual Machine

When using the Create Virtual Machines wizard, a number of warning or error conditions can prevent the virtual machine from being created. However, if the Create VM even if resources are insufficient, missing or unavailable check box is selected on the Create Virtual Machines wizard Summary page, you can still have VM Manager create the virtual machine. You will have to correct the conditions prior to starting the virtual machine.

Failure Starting a Virtual Machine

The most likely cause for a virtual machine failing to start is missing, insufficient, or unavailable resources. Make sure the required resources are made available. For example:

Failure to modify the virtual machine vCPU entitlement

If you attempt to modify (by selecting ModifyVirtual Machine vCPU Entitlement) the vCPU entitlement of a virtual machine that is being managed by gWLM, the following error message is displayed, where virtual-machine-name is the name of the virtual machine:

The processor entitlement for VM virtual-machine-name cannot be modified because it is being managed by gWLM. To adjust the processor entitlement for this VM, use gWLM to change the policy associated with this VM.

To create or modify the gWLM policy for this virtual machine, use the Policy menu (available when using VM Manager with VSE Management Software).

Information is out of date, incomplete, or missing

In general, VM Manager tabbed view screens are refreshed automatically every five minutes. An indicator on these visualization pages notifies you when the data was last refreshed. VM Manager screens that display configuration data are updated instantaneously when you use VM Manager to change the related configuration parameters.

	NOTE: When changes to virtual machine I/O configuration are made using tools other than VM Manager (such as adding or removing I/O devices by using the VM Host command line), the updated configuration data is not shown until the screen is refreshed. You can manually refresh a tabbed view screen and certain dialog screens (such as those for adding storage or network devices) by clicking on the Refresh Data link.

If information about certain virtual machines is missing from a VM Manager screen (for example, specifics about a port interface), the screen might need refreshing, the virtual machines might not yet be started or, if they are started, the VM Provider or certain WBEM components might not be running on those virtual machines or on the VM Host. WBEM components are required on any virtual machine for which you want data. If the VM Provider is not running on the VM Host, no data will be available on any VM Manager tabs; all tabs will display a “No data available” message. To verify that the VM Provider is running, enter the following command on the virtual machine or VM Host

cimprovider -ls

The response “HPVMProviderModule OK” indicates the VM Provider is running. Any other response indicates it is not running. For system and software requirements regarding the VM Provider, see “System and Software Requirements”. For installation instructions and information about providers that must be installed and running on virtual machines, see the HP Integrity Virtual Machines Installation, Configuration, and Administration manual.

Device special file displayed as unknown device ()

If you use VM Manager to manage a VM Host running Integrity VM version 3.5 or earlier, VM Manager does not fully support virtual device special files located in /hpap (introduced in HP StorageWorks Secure Path software version 3.0F SP2) as backing devices for virtual storage. If a virtual storage device using an /hpap device special file already exists on a virtual machine managed by VM Manager, VM Manager displays it on the VM Host Storage and VM Properties Storage tabs as an unknown device (using the question mark icon, ). VM Manager displays the correct device special file name (for example, /hpap/rdsk/hpap1) but the box representing this device is not connected to the boxes that represent the physical storage devices associated with that virtual device special file. In general, VM Manager correctly displays only those device special files located in /dev.

Deleted Virtual Machine Still Appears in Virtualization Manager

When using VM Manager from HP SIM with VSE Management Software, if you create a virtual machine and then delete it before the new virtual machine has been identified by HP SIM, the virtual machine might appear in Virtualization Manager as though it had not been deleted. The appearance of the virtual machine in Virtualization Manager depends on when the deletion occurred during the HP SIM identification process. This is not an issue when using VM Manager from HP SMH.

When using VM Manager with VSE to create a virtual machine, if you decide to delete the virtual machine soon thereafter, wait a few minutes before doing so. If the deleted virtual machine does appear in Virtualization Manager, delete it from the HP SIM All System view. (From the HP SIM Systems and Event Collections list in the navigation area on the left, select All Systems.) For more information, see the HP Virtualization Manager and Logical Server Management Version 4.1 Getting Started Guide.

Created Virtual Machine Does Not Appear Immediately in Virtualization Manager

After creating a virtual machine using VM Manager, if you return immediately to Virtualization Manager, the machine might not yet appear in Virtualization Manager. This means HP SIM has not yet completed identifying the new virtual machine. However, it appears when the identification process completes (usually within a minute or two).