I'm having a weird issue. I've just built a nested ESXi v6 host in my lab and while the build process itself completes successfully I'm unable to join the host to vCenter.
When I try to add the host I get the error message that my credentials are invalid, even though I know I'm entering the right details. Likewise trying to use the 'legacy' C# client and SSH both say 'invalid credentials'. First time round I assumed I'd fat fingered the password but I've since rebuilt the host a couple of times and get the same behaviour. Networking and DNS are all fine, and I've checked key mappings to make sure what I'm typing is correct. I know this still feels like a user error but oddly I can access the DCUI (with the same credentials) and it works.
So far I think this is related to my choice of password during initial install. If I choose something simple, such as 'password' (which obviously no-one ever does, right?) everything is fine and when the build completes I can join vC, SSH etc. However if I choose a slightly more complex password such as 'Welcome1' the problem reoccurs. Another odd symptom is that when the initial password choice is complex, I can't reset the password via the DCUI - whatever I choose for the new password (I've checked the password complexity rules for ESXi v6) I get told my password isn't complex enough. If I use the 'reset to factory default' option in the DCUI (which sets a blank password) all is well again - I can set a new password and then join vC, SSH etc.
Next step is to check various log files and do some more testing but I thought I'd see if anyone else has run into anything similar? If this was widespread it would have been found in QA pre-release or at least mentioned in the forums so I figure it's a niche case but can't figure out why my circumstances should differ from anyone else's. It's a nested ESXi host so is officially unsupported - if I get time I'll try a physical build just to see if that could affect things.
Thanks,
Ed.
