Path redundancy to storage device xxx degraded / restored after esxi (hba driver) upgrade

Summary: VCenter alerts: Path redundancy to storage device naa.600601600xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx degraded. Path vmhba2:C0:T2:L14 is down. Affected datastores: Unknown. warning 11/28/2018 5:15:30 AM Path redundancy to storage device naa.600601600xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx (Datastores: Unknown) restored. Path vmhba2:C0:T2:L14 is active again. info 11/28/2018 5:15:30 AM ...

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Symptoms

After upgrade to ESXi 6.0 build-10474991 below errors started to appear. (HBA driver 2.1.50.0-1vmw.600.3.57.5050593 and later)

Environment
Host model:  ProLiant BL460c Gen8
ESXi  VMware ESXi 6.0.0 build-10719132
HBA  QLogic Corp 2600 Series 16Gb Fibre Channel to PCI Express HBA
HBA driver  2.1.73.0-1OEM.600.0.0.2768847 
PowerPath/VE  6.x
Unity 450F Software 4.3.1.1525703027

Symptoms:
When hosts were running VMware ESXi 6.0.0 build-6921384 (or earlier) Unity LUNs were not erroring.
After upgrade to ESXi 6.0 build-10474991 below errors started to appear. (HBA driver 2.1.50.0-1vmw.600.3.57.5050593 and later)

 extract from vobd.log
2018-11-28T04:15:30.337Z: [scsiCorrelator] 1176699738791us: [vob.scsi.scsipath.pathstate.dead] scsiPath vmhba2:C0:T2:L14 changed state from on
2018-11-28T04:15:30.337Z: [scsiCorrelator] 1176687116200us: [esx.problem.storage.redundancy.degraded] Path redundancy to storage device naa.600601600xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx degraded. Path vmhba2:C0:T2:L14 is down. Affected datastores: Unknown.
2018-11-28T04:15:30.441Z: [scsiCorrelator] 1176699843060us: [vob.scsi.scsipath.pathstate.on] scsiPath vmhba2:C0:T2:L14 changed state from dead
2018-11-28T04:15:30.442Z: [scsiCorrelator] 1176687220485us: [esx.clear.storage.redundancy.restored] Path redundancy to storage device naa.600601600xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx (Datastores: Unknown) restored. Path vmhba2:C0:T2:L14 is active again.

 extract from vmkernel.log
2018-11-28T04:15:30.336Z cpu19:33424)Debug:PowerPath:Path vmhba2:C0:T2:L14 CMD 12 Recieved platform Status Success SCSI Status: H:0xc D:0x0 P:0x0
2018-11-28T04:15:30.336Z cpu19:33424)Debug:PowerPath:Path vmhba2:C0:T2:L14 CMD 12 Recieved platform Status Success SCSI Status: H:0xc D:0x0 P:0x0
2018-11-28T04:15:30.336Z cpu19:33424)Debug:PowerPath:Path vmhba2:C0:T2:L14 CMD 12 Recieved platform Status Success SCSI Status: H:0xc D:0x0 P:0x0
2018-11-28T04:15:30.336Z cpu19:33424)Debug:PowerPath:Path vmhba2:C0:T2:L14 CMD 12 Recieved platform Status Success SCSI Status: H:0xc D:0x0 P:0x0
2018-11-28T04:15:30.336Z cpu19:33424)PowerPath:Path vmhba2:C0:T2:L14 probe failed with Status Success H:0x0 P:0x0 D:0x0
2018-11-28T04:15:30.336Z cpu19:33424)PowerPath:Path "vmhba2:C0:T2:L14" is changing to dead from on.
2018-11-28T04:15:30.336Z cpu19:33424)Debug:PowerPath:Path vmhba2:C0:T2:L14 CMD 12 Recieved platform Status Success SCSI Status: H:0xc D:0x0 P:0x0
2018-11-28T04:15:30.441Z cpu19:33424)PowerPath:Path "vmhba2:C0:T2:L14" is changing to on from dead.

Cause

Cause (from VMware driver team):
There is a change in ESXi 6.0 EP15 compared with ESXi 6.0 P06: In case H:0xc error is reported, we will retry the command at driver layer instead of HBA layer.
This was done to avoid adapter queue full conditions.

Resolution

Install the HBA driver  2.1.81.0 (or above) and firmware  8.08 (or above) as per VMware HCL

Additional Information

There are other environments with VNX and V-max storage and errors are not present with any of above builds.
Driver is available for download here
https://www.vmware.com/resources/compatibility/detail.php?deviceCategory=io&productid=35353&releaseid=276&deviceCategory=io&details=1&VID=1077&DID=2031&SVID=103c&SSID=1939&page=1&display_interval=10&sortColumn=Partner&sortOrder=Asc
Article Properties
Article Number: 000168503
Article Type: Solution
Last Modified: 10 Sept 2025
Version:  4
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