VMware vSphere Hot Add and Hot Plug

Posted on 10/10/2018 by Migrated

KB ID 0000527

Problem

I was trying to hot add some memory to a VM the other day, and found the option grayed out. Normally I’d just down the VM, add the memory, then bring it back up. But it was a production server and I was pretty sure the OS supported it.

A quick Google search told me why it was grayed out, but it also transpired there was little to no information on what version of Windows hot add and hot plug would work with.

Solution

I’m not going to argue the semantics of the differences between “hot add” and “hot plug”, if I’m taking about hot add I’m talking about memory, if I’m talking about hot plug I’m talking about adding CPUs. You also need to be aware that to date Few OS’s support hot remove or hot unplug. If you try you will see the following;

vSphere version 6 or 6.5 (Hot Unplug )

It simply wont let you lower the value;

Note: With a Supported O,S (i.e. Server 2016 and 2019) you CAN hot remove CPU.

vSphere version 5.0 or 5.5

Hot Add Memory/ CPU in vSphere 6 & 6.5

As with earlier version of vSphere, to enable hot plug or hot remove, the machine has to be shut down. Then the option can be enabled. Select the VM > Edit Settings.

Memory: Virtual Hardware > Memory > Tick ‘Memory Hot Plug’ > Save.

CPU: Virtual Hardware > CPU > Tick ‘Enable CPU Hot Add’ > Save.

Hot Plug, Hot Add in the vSphere HTML5 Client

Hot Add Memory/ CPU in vSphere 5 & 5.5

As for memory and CPU settings you will probably see what I was seeing. Both the options are not changeable.

2. Sorry but to enable this feature you need to power off the client machine, then when you edit its settings > Options > Advanced > Memory/CPU_Hotplug > You can enable hot add and hot plug > OK . Power the VM back on again.

3. Now you will see you have the option to hot add memory and hot plug CPUs.

What Operating Systems support this?

Like I said above, I did some testing because information is thin on the ground, this is what I was actually able to make work.

With 2008 R2 Standard

1. As you can tell from the table memory hot add will work but to add a CPU will need a reboot. Before I started I had 2 CPUs and 4GB of memory.

2. Lets add more memory and CPUs.

3. For all machines I tested there was a lag, sometimes as little as 3-5 seconds, other times as long as 15-20 seconds, during this time you will see some processor and memory usage spikes. But as shown the memory eventually becomes available.

4. Post reboot, your extra CPUs will appear.

With 2008 R2 Enterprise and Datacenter

1. Note I’m using Datacenter here, but Enterprise is the same. I increased the memory from 4 to 5 GB, And added a further 3 CPUs.

2. It does work, you simply need to restart the “Task Manager” to reflect the increased CPU count.

3. Finished.

Exchange: Noderunner.exe High CPU and Memory Usage

Posted on 20/03/2018 by PeteLong

KB ID 0001412

Problem

After an Exchange 2007 to 2013 migration, the client emailed to say that noderunner.exe was maxing out the server memory and CPU.

The server was working fine other wise. (I’d previously disabled the search index on the datastore, to speed up the migration, and had only re enabled it that day so I assumed that’s what the problem was, I disabled it once more and jumped on after hours for a look.

You may also see Event ID 1009 logged;

Solution

First thing is to cap the memory that noderunner.exe uses, to do that edit the {Drive-Letter}:\Program Files\Microsoft\Exchange Server\V15\Bin\Search\Ceres\Runtime\1.0\noderunner.exe.config.

Locate the ‘memoryLimitMegabytes=”0″‘ value.

Change it from ZERO, (use everything) to 250 and save the file.

Before we go any further lets check the database index status, execute the following command;

[box]Get-MailboxDatabaseCopyStatus | Select Name,Status,ContentIndexState[/box]

Note: Mine say FailedAndSuspended, (if yours are healthy, simply restart the services below and don’t delete the index folders).

Stop the ‘Fast search’ and ‘Host controller’ services;

[box]Stop-Service MSExchangeFastSearch

Stop-Service HostControllerService[/box]

To find out where your Database files (.edb files) are, issue the following command;

[box]Get-MailboxDatabase -Status | Select EdbFilePath[/box]

Go to each location, and in the same folder will be a folder with a long Hexedecimal name, (the GUID of the database). Delete the folder, repeat for each database that has a problem.

Start the services again;

[box]Start-Service MSExchangeFastSearch

Start-Service HostControllerService[/box]

Check the index health again;

Note: If you are running Exchange 2013, make sure you update it to a cumulative update later than version 12.

Updating the AnyConnect client for Deployment from the Cisco ASA 5500

Posted on 15/06/2017 by Migrated

KB ID 0000704

Problem

Your ASA will (by default) update your AnyConnect clients to the latest client software when they connect. However you need to supply the ASA with the updated packages first.

Solution

1. Download the latest AnyConnect client package, from Cisco. The one you want will have a file extension of .pkg

AnyConnect 4

AnyConnect 3

2. Connect to the ASDM > Configuration > Remote Access VPN > Network (Client) access > AnyConnect Client Software > Add.

Note: On older versions of the ASDM you will find the option under > Network (Client) access > Advanced > SSL VPN > Client Settings > Add.

3. Select Upload > Browse to the software you downloaded > Select.

4. The file should upload to flash memory.

5. And it will tell you if it has been successful.

6. Select the new software and, using the ‘up arrow’ move it to the top of the list > Apply.

Note: At this point I also delete the old software packages.

7. Don’t forget to upload the packages for Linus and MacOS of you may see the following error;

The AnyConnect package on the secure gateway could not be located.

8. Remember to save the changes. File > Save running configuration to flash.

Event ID 9665

Posted on 17/11/2015 by Migrated

KB ID 0000141 Dtd 10/11/09

Problem

Event ID 9665

Memory
Settings are not Optimal for Exchange

Solution

Edit
the boot.ini (note the change below after fastdetect) Thats
all on one line if it gets wrapped!!

Example

BEFORE

[boot
loader]
timeout=30
default=multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)WINDOWS
[operating systems]
multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)WINDOWS=”Windows
Server 2003, Standard” /fastdetect
C:CMDCONSBOOTSECT.DAT=”Microsoft Windows Recovery
Console” /cmdcons

AFTER

[boot
loader]
timeout=30
default=multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)WINDOWS
[operating systems]
multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)WINDOWS=”Windows
Server 2003, Standard” /fastdetect /3GB /USERVA=3030
C:CMDCONSBOOTSECT.DAT=”Microsoft

If you want to turn off the memory configuration check, you can create the following registry key:
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINESYSTEMCurrentControlSetServicesMSExchangeISParametersSystem
Parameter: Suppress Memory Configuration Notification
Type: REG_DWORD
Setting: 1

GNS3 – Error ‘ghostsize is to small for device’

Posted on 17/11/2015 by Migrated

KB ID 0000935

Problem

While doing a quick lab in GNS3, I tried to add NAT to a router, and it fell over with the following error;

[box]

R3(config-if)#ip nat outside
% NBAR ERROR: parsing stopped
% NBAR Error : Activation failed due to insufficient dynamic memory
% NBAR Error: Stile could not add protocol node
%NAT: Error activating CNBAR on the interface FastEthernet0/0
R3(config-if)#
*Mar 1 00:01:11.655: %SYS-2-MALLOCFAIL: Memory allocation of 10260 bytes failed
from 0x62915CD4, alignment 0
Pool: Processor Free: 28660 Cause: Memory fragmentation
Alternate Pool: None Free: 0 Cause: No Alternate pool
-Process= "Exec", ipl= 0, pid= 93, -Traceback= 0x6148BFF8 0x60016604 0x6001C564 0x6001CBBC 0x636756E4 0x62915CDC 0x628F468C 0x628F9DA0 0x628F5968 0x628FA474 0x628F5968 0x628F8344 0x628F5968 0x628F5B2C 0x62928FBC 0x62933A20
*Mar 1 00:01:11.659: %NBAR-2-NOMEMORY: No memory available for StILE lmalloc, -Traceback= 0x6148BFF8 0x62915CF8 0x628F468C 0x628F9DA0 0x628F5968 0x628FA474 0x628F5968 0x628F8344 0x628F5968 0x628F5B2C 0x62928FBC 0x62933A20 0x62920BD0 0x6293DF70 0x6293E2F0 0x61C77C70
R3(config-if)#
*Mar 1 00:01:12.231: %LINEPROTO-5-UPDOWN: Line protocol on Interface NVI0, changed state to up
R3(config-if)#

[/box]

A quick Google told me, this was because I didn’t have enough memory assigned to the router, and I was supposed to change this, save the new setting, and reload the router. But as soon as I did that, this happened. (Note: Seen in GNS3, I could not console to the router).

[box]

GNS3 management console. Running GNS3 version 0.8.6.
Copyright (c) 2006-2013GNS3 Project.

=> *** Warning: ghostsize is to small for device R3. Increase it with the ghostsize option.

[/box]

Solution

1. Locate the filename.net file for your project, and open it.

Note: Usually in C:Users{user-name}GNS3Projects

2. Locate the section that contains your router settings, (you should see the IOS image name). Below that change the RAM value, here I changed it from 128 to 256, then save the file and reopen your GNS3 project.

3. To stop this happening again, whilst in GNS3 > Edit > IOS Images and Hypervisors > Locate the router image, and set the default RAM figure here > Save > Click Test settings to make sure.

ASA – Memory Error (Post upgrade to version 8.3)

Posted on 17/11/2015 by Migrated

KB ID 0000553

Problem

I’ve split this article away from this one, as it tripped me up this week again, so I think it deserves an article of its own.

Some ASA firewalls that shipped prior to February 2010 may need a hardware memory upgrade, before you can update them to version 8.3 and beyond. If not you will see the following;

Memory Error as seen on an ASA5510

[box]

*************************************************************
**
** *** WARNING *** WARNING *** WARNING *** WARNING ***
**
** ----> Minimum Memory Requirements NOT Met! <---- **
**
** Installed RAM: 256 MB **
** Required RAM: 1024 MB **
** Upgrade part#: ASA5510-MEM-1GB= **
** **
** This ASA does not meet the minimum memory requirements needed to **
** run this image. Please install additional memory (part number **
** listed above) or downgrade to ASA version 8.2 or earlier. **
** Continuing to run without a memory upgrade is unsupported, and **
** critical system features will not function properly. **
** **
**************************************************************

[/box]

Memory Error as seen on an ASA5505

[box]

**************************************************************
** **
** *** WARNING *** WARNING *** WARNING *** WARNING ***
** **
** ----> Minimum Memory Requirements NOT Met! <---- **
** **
** Installed RAM: 256 MB **
** Required RAM: 512 MB **
** Upgrade part#: ASA5505-MEM-512= **
** **
** This ASA does not meet the minimum memory requirements needed to **
** run this image. Please install additional memory (part number **
** listed above) or downgrade to ASA version 8.2 or earlier. **
** Continuing to run without a memory upgrade is unsupported, and **
** critical system features will not function properly. **
** **
***************************************************************

[/box]

ASDM Memory Error as seen on an ASA5505

Solution

ASA Memory Requirements

ASA 5500 Memory Requirements for version 8.3 and Later
Cisco ASA	Mem (Pre 8.3)	Mem (Post 8.3)	New ASA (after Feb 2010) shipped with	Memory Part Number
5505 10 User	256MB	256MB	512MB
5505 50 User	256MB	256MB	512MB
5505 Unlimited	256MB	512MB	512MB	ASA5505-MEM-512=
5505 Sec Plus	256MB	512MB	512MB	ASA5505-MEM-512=
5510	256MB	1GB	1GB	ASA5510-MEM-1GB=
5510 Sec Plus	256MB	1GB	1GB	ASA5510-MEM-1GB=
5520	512MB	2GB	2GB	ASA5520-MEM-2GB=
5540	1GB	2GB	2GB	ASA5540-MEM-2GB=
5550	4GB	4GB	4GB
5580-20	8GB	8GB	8GB
5580-40	12GB	12GB	12GB

Fitting the Memory Upgrade to an ASA5505

Fitting the Memory Upgrade to an ASA5510

Update Cisco ASA – Directly from Cisco (via ASDM)

Posted on 17/11/2015 by Migrated

KB ID 0000636

Problem

Warning:

Before upgrading/updating the ASA to version 8.3 (or Higher) Check to see if you have the correct amount of RAM in the firewall (“show version” command will tell you). This is VERYIMPORTANT if your ASA was shipped before February 2010. See the link below for more information.

ASA – Memory Error (Post upgrade to version 8.3)

Warning 2:

Be aware, if you are upgrading to an OS of 8.4(2) or newer you can no longer access the device via SSH when using the default username of “pix” you need to enable AAA authentication for SSH, do this before you reboot/reload the firewall or you may lock yourself out.

ASA Enable AAA LOCAL Authentication for SSH

Its been a while since I wrote how to update the ASA by command line, and how to update the ASA from the ASDM. Now you can update the ASA directly from Cisco, providing you have a valid cisco CCO account.

Solution

1. Connect to the the ASDM on the ASA > Tools > Check for ASA/ASDM Updates.

2. Supply your Cisco CCO account information.

3. Next.

4. Decide if you want to update the OS of the ASA or the ASDM, or both.

5. Next.

6. The software will download. (The OS is downloading here), Note: it will get downloaded to the machine that the ASDM is running on first.

7. Then the ASDM software will download.

8. You may find that there is not enough room in flash memory, if so you will see this error. (if it does not error skip to step 11).

9. If you are stuck for room you can delete some items from your flash memory > Tools > File Management.

10. Here you can see I’m deleting and old version of the ASDM. Note you could delete the live version of the ASDM and Operating system if you had no choice (THOUGH DONT REBOOT THE FIREWALL until the new ones have uploaded, or you will be loading the files in in ROMMON mode!)

11. Once all the files have been downloaded to your location, they will be uploaded to the firewalls flash memory.

12. Next.

13. Finish.

Note: What happens now is the following commands are issued in the background automatically; (Note the versions numbers may be different in your case).

[box]

asdm image disk0:/asdm-649.bin
no boot system disk0:/asa843-k8.bin
boot system disk0:/asa844-1-k8.bin
boot system disk0:/asa843-k8.bin

[/box]

14. After the firewall reboots, it should come back up with the new OS and ASDM version.

Problem

Solution

Hot Add Memory/ CPU in vSphere 6 & 6.5

Hot Plug, Hot Add in the vSphere HTML5 Client

Hot Add Memory/ CPU in vSphere 5 & 5.5

What Operating Systems support this?

With 2008 R2 Standard

With 2008 R2 Enterprise and Datacenter

Related Articles, References, Credits, or External Links

Problem

Solution

Related Articles, References, Credits, or External Links

Problem

Solution

Related Articles, References, Credits, or External Links

Problem

Solution

Related Articles, References, Credits, or External Links

Problem

Solution

Related Articles, References, Credits, or External Links

Problem

Memory Error as seen on an ASA5510

Memory Error as seen on an ASA5505

ASDM Memory Error as seen on an ASA5505

Solution

ASA Memory Requirements

Fitting the Memory Upgrade to an ASA5505

Fitting the Memory Upgrade to an ASA5510

Related Articles, References, Credits, or External Links

Problem

Solution

Related Articles, References, Credits, or External Links