Based on http://kb.vmware.com/selfservice/microsites/search.do?language=en_US&cmd=displayKC&externalId=1009465
Starting with Linux 2.6.13 kernels the timeout value for a Linux block device can be set using the sysfs interface. This will not affect kernels below 2.6.13. Increasing the disk timeout value for every disk attached to the virtual machine can prevent the issue from recurring.
sysfs using the command:find /sys/class/scsi_generic/*/device/timeout -exec grep -H . '{}' \;sysfs interface. For example:echo 180 > /sys/block/ sdc/device/timeoutudev rule at /etc/udev/rules.d/99-vmware-scsi-udev.rules that sets the timeout for each VMware virtual disk device and reloads the udev rules so that it takes effect immediately. This rule is applied during each subsequent startup. For example, the following is the udev rule from vSphere 4.x:# Redhat systems
ACTION=="add", BUS=="scsi", SYSFS{vendor}=="VMware, " , SYSFS{model}=="VMware Virtual S", RUN+="/bin/sh -c 'echo 180 >/sys$DEVPATH/device/timeout'"
# Debian systems
ACTION=="add", SUBSYSTEMS=="scsi", ATTRS{vendor}=="VMware " , ATTRS{model}=="Virtual disk ", RUN+="/bin/sh -c 'echo 180 >/sys$DEVPATH/device/timeout'"
# SuSE / Ubuntu systems
ACTION=="add", SUBSYSTEMS=="scsi", ATTRS{vendor}=="VMware, " , ATTRS{model}=="VMware Virtual S", RUN+="/bin/sh -c 'echo 180 >/sys$DEVPATH/device/timeout'"
Download 99-virt-scsi-udev.rules and move it to /etc/udev/rules.d/