Host Disconnects Using VMware vSphere 5.5 Update 2, 5.5 Update 3, 6.... https://www.ibm.

com/support/pages/node/690413

Support
Host Disconnects Using VMware vSphere 5.5 Update 2, 5.5 Update
3, 6.0, 6.0 Update 1 and 6.0 Update 2

Flashes (Alerts)
Document
Information
Abstract
More support for:
VMware vSphere 5.5 Update 2, 5.5 Update 3, 6.0, 6.0 Update 1 and 6.0 Update 2 IBM Storwize V7000
hosts may experience multiple repeated disconnects leading to application outages (2076)
in response to delays in completing heartbeat I/O.
Software version:
Content 6.4, 7.1, 7.2, 7.3, 7.4,
7.5, 7.6, 7.7, 7.8, 8.1,
A change was introduced in VMware vSphere 5.5 Update 2 and
8.2
vSphere 6.0 to use Atomic Test and Set (ATS) by default for heartbeat
I/O. Document number:
The use of ATS heartbeating is now supported on IBM SAN Volume Controller, 690413
Storwize and Spectrum Virtualize systems running 7.6.1.x code or later, with
Modified date:
VMware vSphere environments using ESXi 6.0u3 or later. However, ATS
20 March 2019
Heartbeating is still not supported on VMware vSphere ESXi 5.5 environments.
Please note that "ATS Heartbeats" and "ATS for Hardware Accelerated Locking" are
two separate settings. The issue reported by this flash only applies to ATS
Heartbeats.

To enable ATS heartbeating on a particular host, use the following command

VMFS-5:

• esxcli system settings advanced set -i 1 -o /VMFS3/useATSForHBOnVMFS5

Due to the low timeout value for heartbeat I/O using ATS, this can lead to host
disconnects and application outages if delays of 8 seconds or longer are
experienced in completing individual heartbeat I/Os on backend storage systems or
the SAN infrastructure.

Workaround

Release 7.6.0 introduced enhancements to the way that SVC and Storwize process
ATS, which will reduce the likelihood of experiencing this issue.

1 of 3 11/16/2021, 11:46 PM
Host Disconnects Using VMware vSphere 5.5 Update 2, 5.5 Update 3, 6.... https://www.ibm.com/support/pages/node/690413

To prevent VMware hosts on these levels from experiencing this issue, the following
commands can be issued to disable using ATS for heartbeat I/O and revert to the 5.5
Update 1 heartbeat method. Note that after issuing these commands, the host will
Support
NOT be required to be rebooted.

VMFS-3:

esxcli system settings advanced set -i 0 -o /VMFS3/useATSForHBOnVMFS3

(N.B. ATS for heartbeat is disabled by default with VMFS-3, so this command will
only need to be issued if it has previously been manually enabled)

VMFS-5:

esxcli system settings advanced set -i 0 -o /VMFS3/useATSForHBOnVMFS5

Refer to the following VMware Knowledge Base article for more details on how to
query and modify these settings:

http://kb.vmware.com/kb/2113956 (http://kb.vmware.com/kb/2113956)

For any queries about the above commands, contact VMware support.

Cross-reference information

Product Component Platform Version

Flex System Platform 6.4, 7.1, 7.2
V7000 Independent
IBM FlashSystem Platform 8.2
9100 Independent

2 of 3 11/16/2021, 11:46 PM
Host Disconnects Using VMware vSphere 5.5 Update 2, 5.5 Update 3, 6.... https://www.ibm.com/support/pages/node/690413

Product Component Platform Version

IBM Storwize Platform 6.4, 7.1, 7.2, 7.3,
Support(2071)
V3500 Independent 7.4, 7.5, 7.6, 7.7,
7.8
IBM Storwize Platform 6.4, 7.1, 7.2, 7.3,
V3700 (2072) Independent 7.4, 7.5, 7.6, 7.7,
7.8
IBM Storwize Platform 7.1, 7.2, 7.3, 7.4,
V5000 and V5100 Independent 7.5, 7.6, 7.7, 7.8,
8.1, 8.2
IBM Storwize Platform 6.4, 7.1, 7.2, 7.3,
V7000 (2076) Independent 7.4, 7.5, 7.6, 7.7,
United States — English

Contact IBM Privacy Terms of use Accessibility

3 of 3 11/16/2021, 11:46 PM