Error processing drive VMWare virtual disk

[david.perez-delgado]

Hi all, 

I am running into a problem when instaling CUCM 11.5.1 as every time that I create the VM and include the ISO file, I can include all installation details, but as soon as the installation starts I am getting a message saying "Error processing drive. device may need to reinitialize. Reinitialize will cause all data to be lost. This action may be applied to all other disks needing re-initialization."

In my scenario we are building VMs and installing CUCM automatically using vRO as our orchestration tool, however with this issue we can't install the CUCM automatically and it requires for a person to manually go into the VM and selete the option to re-initialize all the disks manually. 

Surprisingly, this issue doesn't happen if I build the VM using the OVA provided by Cisco, hence I would like to understand if there is any customization that is being done within the OVA, so that we can replicate this with vRO during the process of the automatic creation of VMs that we have designed. 

[Jonathan Schulenberg]

You *must* use the Cisco-provided OVA to create the VM to be supported by Cisco. The entire deployment would be ineligible for TAC support if you do not use the OVA.

[david.perez-delgado]

Hi Jonathan, 

Thanks for your answer. However, I would still like to understand what is being done with the disks when using the OVA so that it works when we are doing automated deployments. 

As far as I understand, if we respect the values that Cisco are providing in terms of HW that is needed for a certain VM to work, we should be able to build the VMs by our own without depending on external files such as OVAs and the system would still be supported. 

[Jonathan Schulenberg]

Incorrect. Manually configuring a VM with equivalent specs/config of the Cisco-provided OVA will *not* be supported. The documentation states "Customers must download and use these OVA template files for initial install." You will need to get a written exception to this statement from the BU to be supported by TAC. Speaking from experience, and knowing the product manager overseeing this, I'll tell you that is mighty unlikely.
https://www.cisco.com/c/dam/en/us/td/docs/voice_ip_comm/uc_system/virtualization/virtualization-software-requirements.html#vm_templates

With that said, the primary thing the OVA does is provide pre-formatted VMDK files that have their sectors properly aligned. This is an age-old VMFS issue: https://www.vmware.com/pdf/esx3_partition_align.pdf

Since you are a partner, I can only guess that your intent is to automate production deployments for clients. You need to automate the OVA import. You are far more likely to get cooperation from the BU on that front since it uses the deployment process they have tested and is in service of "selling more stuff". Just change the ask and you'll be good.