Web client has empty inventory

[ashleymilne]

I have two hosts in VCenter, one is 5.0 build 441354 the other is 5.1 build 1483097 the VCenter is version 5.1 build 1473063 when I launch the web client, and I've tried on several PC's, the inventory is always empty, why is this?

Also, is it possible with the versions I have, get the web client working on a Mac?

I don't want to upgrade to 5.5 so I hope that is not the solution.

Thanks

[a_p_]

In order to be able to manage the inventory using the vSphere Web Client you need to configure SSO and permissions on the vCenter Server object. If you didn't do this yet, login to the Web Client using the admin@system-domain account to configure the permissions as required.

André

[ashleymilne]

I am logging in with the username admin, with the correct password, the inventory is empty. Where do I configure the permissions?

[a_p_]

Is it just admin or admin@system-domain you are using? If you don't see anything - i.e. not even the vCenter Server object - then you are most likely not logged in with the correct user. If you do see the vCenter Server object, select it, and click "Manage", "Permissions".

André

[ashleymilne]

Ok I logged in with the user admin@system-domain but I am still unable to see the VCenter server, I think it has to be registered with the lookup service, how do I do this? I did go into roles, but the account I was logged in with is already an admin.

[bayupw]

Hi

As André mentioned, if you do not see any objects then you are most likely not logged in with the correct user.

Is it a new vCenter server or an upgraded vCenter server?

vCenter upgrade to 5.1 removes all local accounts like the Administrators group on the vCenter server as stated in this KB: VMware KB: Unable to log into VMware vCenter Server after upgrading to vCenter Server 5.1

VMware vSphere 5.1 introduces a new authentication method, Single Sign-On, and during the install it may have removed permissions for local identity sources. This results in users being unable to log in.

Can you login to vCenter with vSphere client using admin@system-domain?

If not, do you have any other user that have privileges for admin via vSphere client?

If still can't work, you might need to re-install Inventory Service & Web Client as posted by some people here: Re: vSphere Web Client - Do not have access to a vCenter Server 5.1 system

See also this KB if this is relevant for you: VMware KB: Re-pointing and re-registering VMware vCenter Server 5.1 / 5.5 and components

Thanks,

Bayu

[CedricAnto]

Are you able to login to vSphere client ?

Is the inventory service running ?

Also look at

VMware KB: vSphere Web Client displays empty inventory

[ashleymilne]

This was a fresh install, sort of, there was an installation of VCenter 5 that I wiped out (after I tried doing an upgrade which did not work) by using add/remove programs to uninstall everything and then I deleted all the vsphere, vmare folders I could find under programs etc. The only glitch I ran into when doing the install was it said port 80 was in use for the vsphere server so I had to change it to 8081, other then that everything is working. I can login to the web client using the admin@system-domain account, but the inventory is empty. The services are all running so logging in is not the problem, the inventory being empty is however.