Skip to main content
NetApp Knowledge Base

Intermittent VMware storage disconnects over Fibre Channel

  1. Last updated
  2. Save as PDF
Views:
Visibility:
Public
Votes:
0
Category:
ontap-9
Specialty:
san
Last Updated:

Applies to

  • NetApp AFF-A250
  • ONTAP 9.19.1RC1
  • VMware vSphere (FC/FCoE)

Issue

Multiple VMware virtual machines (VMs) experienced intermittent storage disconnects.
VMware reported storage-side disconnects impacting access for many users.
Observed Fibre Channel (FC) aborts and heartbeat timeouts in VMware logs
Example:
- Log messages from vmkernel and vobd logs:

2026-07-29T03:28:02.901Z vmkernel: nfnic_fdls_validate_and_get_frame_type:4121: Receiving Abort Request

2026-07-28T03:28:13.051Z vobd[2097862]: [esx.problem.vmfs.heartbeat.recovered]

2026-07-28T03:28:42.746Z vobd[2097862]: [esx.problem.vmfs.heartbeat.timedout]

Example:
- NetApp ONTAP logs showed STIOAdapter IOWQE failures:
[A250-1:fct_tpd_work_thread_0:fcp.io.status:debug]: STIOAdapter:2bIOWQEfailure, Handle0x1, Type8, S_ID:450000, VPI:130, OX_ID:4334, Status0x3 Ext_Status0x16

Sign in to view the entire content of this KB article.

New to NetApp?

Learn more about our award-winning Support

NetApp provides no representations or warranties regarding the accuracy or reliability or serviceability of any information or recommendations provided in this publication or with respect to any results that may be obtained by the use of the information or observance of any recommendations provided herein. The information in this document is distributed AS IS and the use of this information or the implementation of any recommendations or techniques herein is a customer's responsibility and depends on the customer's ability to evaluate and integrate them into the customer's operational environment. This document and the information contained herein may be used solely in connection with the NetApp products discussed in this document.