Windows 2012 - on first full replication - target vm boots up into bootofx.iso but is waiting for protect server address

  • 7016826
  • 08-Sep-2015
  • 03-Feb-2017

Environment

This issue occurs with Protect Version 11.2.0.180 if the TST-2K12R2-COMPLEX-DISKS-UEFI protected workload's container is:

  a) 5.1.x, or
  b) 5.5.x, or
  c) 6.0.x.

Situation

- Warning in Protect UI on Running First (Full) Replication:

	"Machine FO-2K12R2C-E failed to start up. Usually this means the PlateSpin components in the target VM cannot communicate with the PlateSpin server over the network. Check your firewall settings on the PlateSpin server, check that you have configured your workload Replication Network to one that allows the target VM to communicate with the PlateSpin server, or check if you have DHCP services running in the network where the target VM is residing (you can open the VMware console of the target VM to do basic network troubleshooting). Then abort the replication and try again."

- Observation on Target VM:  It booted up with bootofx.iso and is waiting for the address of the PlateSpin Protect Server.

Resolution

One workaround is to increase TakeControlMemorySizeinMB under HOST/platespinconfiguration from the default of 512MB to a higher value. Values of 1024 and 2048 have been tested and fix the issue. Manually changing the VM memory in the VSphere also works.

Cause

This bug is being caused by particular cores-per-socket configurations. Under certain configurations LRD cannot properly load the floppy image so the target VM is not configured correctly.

Horizontal axis is sockets. Vertical is cores.