vSphere Web Client unable to connect to VDP

[GMZSE]

vCenter: 5.5.0 Update 3e (Build 4180647) on Windows Server 2012 R2

ESXi: 5.5.0 Patch 9 (4345813)

VDP: 5.8.1.7, 5.8.3.13, 5.8.4.6

I have been experiencing problems with VDP after upgrading two vCenter Server’s to 5.5 Update 3e (on Windows). There are three VDP appliances for each environment. After the vCenter upgrade, one VDP appliance from each environment, running version 5.8.3.13, fails all backups. The two other appliances in each environment, on version 5.8.1.7, have continued to backup successfully.

I decided to replace one VDP appliance that was failing with version 5.8.4.6. I ran into the same problems as reported in https://communities.vmware.com/thread/542344. After applying the workaround, the VDP was able to configure successfully. I also went ahead and applied the VDPHotfix_SHA2.sh hotfix to all other VDP appliances (https://kb.vmware.com/kb/2111900). After doing that, I ran into yet another problem – the vSphere Web Client just hangs when connecting to the VDP appliances. All that appears is an hourglass icon and it stays there forever.

I have tried the following:

• Re-register the VDP appliance with vCenter
• Install .war/.xml files from VDP appliance into vCenter (https://kb.vmware.com/kb/2089962)
• Rename SerenityDB folder (https://pickettsproblems.wordpress.com/2015/03/17/vmware-vdp-6-0-connecting-stuck/)

Has anyone experienced this? How can I get the Web Client to connect to any of the appliances again?

[SavkoorSuhas]

Hi,

I had seen this issue where the web client forever grays out when clicking connect on VDP 6.1 due to a bug in the .war file for which a hot-fix was given.

Are we running any third party plugins in the vCenter where this VDP facing issues is running?
If yes, let me know which plugins we are running. I had also seen 5.8 VDP causing connection issues due to conflicting Nimble Plugin.

Suhas

[GMZSE]

There are no additional third party plugins loaded with vCenter. It's all default.

[RyanJMN]

There is a VDP hotfix to resolve a communication issue with 5.5 U3.  Looks like it might be your issue.  See https://kb.vmware.com/kb/2146825

[SavkoorSuhas]

I guess it would be something similar to these changes:

http://www.virtuallypeculiar.com/2016/10/vdp-stuck-in-configuration-loop.html

Suhas

[GMZSE]

I did that workaround manually, but right now I'm only running VDP 5.x, not 6.x. My problem is the Web Client just shows a clock icon when trying to connect to any appliance.

[SavkoorSuhas]

Any firewall blocking ports between VDP and Web Client?

If possible, access the same from a machine which has no firewall...

Suhas

[GMZSE]

This time I reinstalled vCenter and all components. I re-registered the VDP appliances with vCenter and the results were the same. Ugh, so frustrating!!! vCenter and the VDP appliances are in the same network segment, so firewall is not the issue.

[GMZSE]

Now I'll see if I have better luck with the very latest version of VDP, 6.1.3.

[GMZSE · Accepted solution]

VDP 6.1.3 was able to enable the Web Client to connect to the new appliance and all other [older] appliances. FINALLY!!! I'll be migrating them to the latest version so I don't stay on 5.8.x.

[GMZSE]

Migrating the appliances ended up stopping Maintenance and Scheduling services many times. I ended up rebuilding all appliances brand new.