VxRail: Node Health-checks Fail with Message iDRAC queries failed
Summary: VxRail node health-checks query the iDRAC using vmk1 using Redfish or the Platform Service. If one of the services that maintains this communication channel is down, the iDRAC queries can fail. ...
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Symptoms
VxVerify runs tests on each node by uploading a 'minion' heath-check program, to detect issues that may cause upgrades to fail. Node health-checks such as 'idc_q', 'idc_swi' and 'idc_as' query the iDRAC using remotecmd racadm using vmk1.
If the iDRAC commands timeout or get an invalid response, then other iDRAC based tests are likely to fail too (idc_xxx).
An example of the health-check output, when iDRAC is not responding, is shown below:
|
Test Result
|
Result code
|
Result Interpretation
|
|
Pass
|
0
|
iDRAC commands ran successfully. |
|
Warning
|
1
|
See each iDRAC health-check for warning conditions |
| Failure | 2 | iDRAC queries failed |
| Critical | 3 |
This test has no critical result.
|
If the iDRAC commands timeout or get an invalid response, then other iDRAC based tests are likely to fail too (idc_xxx).
An example of the health-check output, when iDRAC is not responding, is shown below:
#========================#======#=========#====================================================================#==============# | Hostname / Category |Status Dell_KB | Warnings or Failures, unless tests Passed ; Product S.N. | #========================#======#=========#====================================================================#==============# | Node1 | Failure 43184 | idc_q: iDRAC queries failed .|
Cause
The health-checks issue commands on the ESXi to iDRAC using the iDRAC vmk (usually vmk1), with commands such as the following:
For the above to work the internal connection between ESXi and iDRAC must be running, which depends on the iSM service (dcism or dellism).
If iDRAC based tests are reporting 'iDRAC queries failed', then it may be the communication channel to the iDRAC that failed, rather than an iDRAC failure.
/opt/vxrail/bin/remotecmd -q -i /etc/ssh/ssh_host_rsa_key -l vxpsvc 169.254.0.1 racadm swinventory
For the above to work the internal connection between ESXi and iDRAC must be running, which depends on the iSM service (dcism or dellism).
If iDRAC based tests are reporting 'iDRAC queries failed', then it may be the communication channel to the iDRAC that failed, rather than an iDRAC failure.
Resolution
The first step for 'iDRAC queries failed' events, would be to check the iDRAC UI, to make sure that is working correctly.
If the User Interface (UI) to iDRAC is responding correctly, then the issue may be in the connection to iDRAC from ESXi. This communication channel uses VMK1 and is maintained by the iDRAC Service Module service (ISM).
One method to correct this would be to force an iDRAC and iSM services restart using VxVerify:
If the User Interface (UI) to iDRAC is responding correctly, then the issue may be in the connection to iDRAC from ESXi. This communication channel uses VMK1 and is maintained by the iDRAC Service Module service (ISM).
One method to correct this would be to force an iDRAC and iSM services restart using VxVerify:
./vxverify.sh -a ism_fix=Node1
Refer to article 205179: health-check 'ism_fix' attempting to automatically correct Dell iSM issues
Affected Products
VxRail, iDRAC Service Module, VxRail Appliance Family, VxRail Appliance Series, VxRail SoftwareArticle Properties
Article Number: 000205769
Article Type: Solution
Last Modified: 25 Aug 2025
Version: 5
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