Problem:
After configuring HA for a vSphere 5 ESXi cluster, each host in the cluster displays the following error message:
Background & Analysis:
vSphere 5 introduces Datastore heartbeats in addition to network heartbeats for HA, in order to distinguish between a network-isolated host and a crashed host.
Solution:
Using the vSphere client, do the following:
STEP 1: Right-click the ESXi cluster –> Select “Edit Settings” –> Select “vSphere HA” –> Click on “Advanced Options” and enter the following Option – Value:
das.ignoreInsufficientHbDatastore – true
The default value is false.
STEP 2: Right-click the ESXi cluster –> Select “Edit Settings” –> Select “Cluster Features” –> Deselect “Turn on vSphere HA”
STEP 3: Right-click the ESXi cluster –> Select “Edit Settings” –> Select “Cluster Features” –> Select “Turn on vSphere HA”
Root Cause:
vSphere 5 requires at least 2 datastores (shared) per host in order for Datastore Heartbeats to work. The maximum number of shared datastores allowed for heartbeat is 5.
(1) The solution above describes a successful problem-solving experience and may not be applicable to other problems with similar symptoms.
(2) Your rating of this post will be much appreciated as it gives me and others who read this article, an indication of whether this solution has worked for people other than me. Also, feel free to leave comments.
