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azn2kew
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"Unable to connect to the MKS: Cannot connect to host [servernamehere] failed on vSphere 4.0 and client

Anyone has this problem? I loaded vSphere 4.0 from ESX 3.5 host and all seems working fine yesterday, after resume more testings and this error popped up:

"Unable to connect to the MKS: Cannot connect to host failed on vSphere 4.0 and client

After google searched, I was able to resolved it by placing DNS entries on the client machine c:\windows\system32\drivers\etc\hosts file point to my ESX host name, FQDN, and short name and it worked fine. I'm curious why this happened though?

What's MKS means in this case? Microsoft Key Server or Management Key Server????????????????

If you found this information useful, please consider awarding points for "Correct" or "Helpful". Thanks!!!

Regards,

Stefan Nguyen

VMware vExpert 2009

iGeek Systems Inc.

VMware, Citrix, Microsoft Consultant

If you found this information useful, please consider awarding points for "Correct" or "Helpful". Thanks!!! Regards, Stefan Nguyen VMware vExpert 2009 iGeek Systems Inc. VMware vExpert, VCP 3 & 4, VSP, VTSP, CCA, CCEA, CCNA, MCSA, EMCSE, EMCISA
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kjb007
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When you click on the console for a vm, the server that is hosting the vm responds back with its hostname for your client to connect to. So, the console MKS was not able to be connected to, and you were not able to see the vm's console, until you updated name resolution. Since the ESX host came back with a name, the client could not resolve the name, so your client could not connect to the vm's Mouse, keyboard, Screen. Hope that makes more sense.

-KjB

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vExpert/VCP/VCAP vmwise.com / @vmwise -KjB

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Troy_Clavell
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Hey Stefan,

I don't have a direct answer for you, but after a bit of searching this KB, http://kb.vmware.com/kb/1010828 , was all I could find.

kjb007
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Nothing all that exciting. MKS = Mouse, Keyboard, Screen. At least that's what I've known it to be for a while.

-KjB

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vExpert/VCP/VCAP vmwise.com / @vmwise -KjB
azn2kew
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Thanks Troy/Kanuj for getting the info and curious why its Mouse, Keyboard, Screen in this case? The KB is pretty good too but we've used static IPs and for testing box, we only use 1 service console IP. But its disappeared now and thanks again.

If you found this information useful, please consider awarding points for "Correct" or "Helpful". Thanks!!!

Regards,

Stefan Nguyen

VMware vExpert 2009

iGeek Systems Inc.

VMware, Citrix, Microsoft Consultant

If you found this information useful, please consider awarding points for "Correct" or "Helpful". Thanks!!! Regards, Stefan Nguyen VMware vExpert 2009 iGeek Systems Inc. VMware vExpert, VCP 3 & 4, VSP, VTSP, CCA, CCEA, CCNA, MCSA, EMCSE, EMCISA
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kjb007
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When you click on the console for a vm, the server that is hosting the vm responds back with its hostname for your client to connect to. So, the console MKS was not able to be connected to, and you were not able to see the vm's console, until you updated name resolution. Since the ESX host came back with a name, the client could not resolve the name, so your client could not connect to the vm's Mouse, keyboard, Screen. Hope that makes more sense.

-KjB

VMware vExpert

vExpert/VCP/VCAP vmwise.com / @vmwise -KjB
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azn2kew
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Thanks, that explains it really well.

If you found this information useful, please consider awarding points for "Correct" or "Helpful". Thanks!!!

Regards,

Stefan Nguyen

VMware vExpert 2009

iGeek Systems Inc.

VMware, Citrix, Microsoft Consultant

If you found this information useful, please consider awarding points for "Correct" or "Helpful". Thanks!!! Regards, Stefan Nguyen VMware vExpert 2009 iGeek Systems Inc. VMware vExpert, VCP 3 & 4, VSP, VTSP, CCA, CCEA, CCNA, MCSA, EMCSE, EMCISA
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kernel007
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Nevermind... got it working

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bxnguyen
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Can I ask, how are you getting your server working again?

I am just installing the brand new ESX4.0 not update1 on the new server and testing the server by create a VM. Got the error with Unable to connecto to the MKS: Cannot connect to host error.

I have tried several fixed from this forum and thread.

- vmauthd.server.alwaysProxy = "TRUE" and still not working.

- Create en entry on my workstation host file with ESX FDQN and still not working.

I am using vSphere Client to connect directly to the ESX4 Host and create the first VM and it failed.

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dragooner
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Just renew your client's dns server or hosts. Make your client machine can resolve the hosts name,which includes esx hosts and vc server.

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bxnguyen
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I did add the ESX Host to my computer host file and able to ping the host name with FDQN.

Still unable to open up the console on the VM.

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AnalogKid99
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Hi

Did you ever find a solution.

I have exactly the same problem.

Two of my Windows XP worksations can connect - the Third one doesnt - all are using Vpshere Client.

Regards

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KamilAzmer
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Hi.

Answered to your issue :

1. Ensure your dns server (primary and secondary) can be resolved the esx hostname and vm hostname

2. Tried to verify using cmd and ping by using hostname.

3. Check your pc hosts file that contain valid ip and hostname or referring to your DNS server, you will see "Unable to connect to the MKS" if your client was unable to resolve the DNS.

4. Check your personal firewall, if there are could be block some of the port. try to disabling the firewall first.

Thank you..

choww..~~

Message was edited by: KamilAzmer

@ -- visit my blog at http://www.azmer.my -- @ virtue your mind @ KamilAzmer
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max_inglis
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I had a similar issue, upgraded from 3.5uX to 4.0. The problem was my /etc/hosts file had two entries for localhost, presumably from the upgrade.

127.0.0.1 localhost.localdomain localhost

::1 localhost.localdomain localhost

So I removed the second entry, restarted network service and all was well.

http://ITangst.blogspot.com
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rmontyq
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Perfect. We are moving to layer 3 so that is requiring us to re-IP our ESX hosts to the new subnet. So:

1. Using a Nexus 1000v, created a duplicated vswif1 virtual port on the new subnet vlan.

2. Create a second console on the new virtual port vswif1 with the new IP. Verify connectivity. All is good.

3. Change DNS entrie(s) to reflect the new IP.

4. On the vCenter Server herself, do an ipconfig/releaseDNS. If you don't do this, when you remove the original Console, the ESX Host will disconnect from vCenter

5. While everything appears to work - vMotion, etc, etc, you cannot open a MKS console to any VM Guest on the changed ESX Host.

5. Make the suggested change to remove the additional localhost entry. Viola! Everything works perfect.

Thank you!

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BDorroh
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This issue is caused by vmware-authd LIBWRAP.

http://kb.vmware.com/kb/1009966


To resolve this issue, disable the LIBWRAP flag.

To disable the LIBWRAP flag, add flags = NOLIBWRAP and type = unlisted to the /etc/xinetd.d/vmware-authd file.

For example:

    disable = no
    port = 902
    socket_type = stream
    flags = NOLIBWRAP
    protocol = tcp
    wait = no
    user = root
    server = /usr/sbin/vmware-authd
    type = unlisted

then restart service: /etc/init.d/xinetd restart

Had this issue for months in our vSphere 4.1 environment. This fixed it. Anytime it pops bacup, we just SSH to the host and restart the xinetd services.

Works every time.

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nava_thulasi39
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Hi,

The KB article hits ESX 3.5.. Just want to make sure, it resolved the issue?

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