Moving VMM from DSM 6.2.3 to DSM 7.2

[dasupergrover]

Hi,

On my microserver Gen8, I'm running DSM6.2.3 as a DS3615xs.

I would like to move to DSM 7.2, so I tried some stuff in a VMWare version with the ARC loader. So far so good, until I tried to move the 1 Virtual Machine inside the Synology VMM from the old to the new environment. I exported the working VMM via the export version, and ended up with the OVA file.

Importing into the new DSM works, but I can't seem to power it on. I Always get the message:
Failed to power on the virtual machine [VMM_name] on the host [test-ds3622].

There's no specific information in the VMM log, other than the line above.

 

Is there any way I can troubleshoot this issue via extended logs?

Could it have to do with the VMWare virtual DSM? Am I missing something?

 

Thanks in advance!

[Peter Suh]

1 hour ago, dasupergrover said:

Hi,

On my microserver Gen8, I'm running DSM6.2.3 as a DS3615xs.

I would like to move to DSM 7.2, so I tried some stuff in a VMWare version with the ARC loader. So far so good, until I tried to move the 1 Virtual Machine inside the Synology VMM from the old to the new environment. I exported the working VMM via the export version, and ended up with the OVA file.

Importing into the new DSM works, but I can't seem to power it on. I Always get the message:
Failed to power on the virtual machine [VMM_name] on the host [test-ds3622].

There's no specific information in the VMM log, other than the line above.

 

Is there any way I can troubleshoot this issue via extended logs?

Could it have to do with the VMWare virtual DSM? Am I missing something?

 

Thanks in advance!

 

Is it VMWARE Workstation? In the advanced processor settings of VMWARE,

there is an option called "Enable hypervisor applications in this virtual machine", which is disabled by default.

This option is supposed to enable support for Intel VT-X/EPT, enabling the use of modern virtualization applications.

I mainly use VMWARE Fusion for MacOS.

I will also try to see if VMM is enabled with this option.

[dasupergrover]

Yes, it's VMWare workstation. I can't find this setting.

 

I CAN start the VMM application in Synology, but starting the machine itself fails.

[Peter Suh]

Please follow this guide for nested virtualization.
https://www.habibza.in/fix-vmware-workstation-does-not-support-nested-virtualization/

But my VMWARE FUSION failed to start the VMM machine even after enabling this setting.

 

Nested virtualization is actually not a recommended method due to stability.
Just use it for testing and not recommended for real use.

Edited January 2 by Peter Suh

[Peter Suh]

VMware's nested virtualization capability is supported but comes with several considerations regarding stability and performance:

## Performance Issues

- Nested virtualization can significantly degrade performance compared to single-layer virtualization.
- Each layer of virtualization adds additional resource overhead.
- Frequent CPU context switching occurs, leading to performance degradation.

## Stability Concerns

- Nested VMs may experience instability, including UI freezing and slow boot times.
- Significant performance degradation has been reported, especially with Windows guest operating systems.

## Usage Limitations

- VMware does not officially support nested virtualization for production environments.
- It is primarily recommended for testing, development, and educational purposes.

## Improvement Methods

- Hardware virtualization support (VT-x/EPT or AMD-V/RVI) must be enabled for better performance.
- Disabling virtualization-related settings in antivirus software may improve performance.

## Compatibility

- Nested virtualization is supported in VMware Workstation, Fusion, and ESXi.
- It works best with Linux guest operating systems, while Windows guests may experience more issues.

In conclusion, while VMware's nested virtualization is technically possible, it has limitations in terms of stability and performance. It is best suited for specific use cases rather than production environments. Users should carefully consider their requirements and be prepared for potential performance trade-offs when implementing nested virtualization with VMware.

[dasupergrover]

Thanks for the link, unfortunately I did not solve my issue. I will just test on the Synology with a new USB stick with ARC loader and a disk lying around, to see if importing and starting the OVA works. Will post results in this topic.

[dasupergrover]

Tested on my hardware and worked immediately. So it really had to do with the nested virtualization.