"Incompatible Server Version" error from Orchestrator Client @ Log in

[tmpearson]

We've recently completed ad upgrade of vcenter from 4.0 to 4.1.  During the upgrade, Orchestrator did not get installed automatically - probably because it wasn't there to upgreade.  We've not used Orchestrator before but wanted to begin using it after the 4.0 to 4.1 upgrade.

I found and ran the Orchestrator installer from the 4.1 DVD.  The whole thing went just fine.  LDAP configured connected to Active Directory and tested.  Database created on remote MSSQL server just fine.  Necessary users and groups created in AD and specified to Orchestrator during configuration. No install issues at all.

After setting Orchestrator to run as a service (on Win 2003 R3 64bit server) and starting the service, I launched the client and tried to connect.

The client is connecting to Orchestrator at some level.  If I enter bad credentials, I get a "user or password incorrect" error.  However, if I use valid credentials, the client responds with "Incompatible Server Version" in the lower left corner of the log-in dialog.  So what friggin' server is the wrong version, I ask?  It just sits there and won't answer me.   FYI, I installed the 32 bit version of the Orchestrator client on another physical computer inside an XP virtual machine (to use a 32 bit OS)  just to see.  It too reports "incompatible server version" when attempting to log in.

vCenter and Orchestrator are both 4.1 - straight out of the zip named VMware-VIMSetup-all-4.1.0-259021.  My ESX servers are all 4.1.0 320092.  The Windows server running vcenter & orchestrator is 2003 R2 - 64 bit.

My theory is that the version of orchestrator shipped with this bundle (as a seperate installable app) is 4.0 and not 4.1.  I say this because the plug-in set up in orchestrator configuration shows only a plug-in for 4.0.0, not for 4.1.0.  That's what I think the error is trying to tell me... "I'm a 4.0 Orchestrator and I won't connect to a 4.1 vcenter."  The vCenterOrchestrator.exe located in the zip referenced in the paragraph above is 205,705 bytes in length and is dated 5/14/2010.

Can anyone verify if the Orchestrator installer described above is 4.0 or 4.1?  If it is 4.1, do you have any insights on this "incompatible server version" error?  It must be rare.  Google couldn't find a thing on that string of words relating to Orchestrator.  A search of the community forms also came up blank.  Thus this post.

Thanks is advance for any insught!

Tim Pearson

Pittsburg State University

tpearson ( !at< ) pittstate.edu

[Andreas_Diemer]

Hi Tim,

to check your vCO version just login to the web configuration and look at the start page:

Following indicates also that you are using vCO 4.1

You can't connect a 4.0 client to 4.1 vCO and vice versa.

Regards, Andreas

[tmpearson]

Thanks, Andres.  That confirms it.  The version of Orchestrator that ships on the latest DVD is version 4.0.1, *not* version 4.1.

That would be a good thing to fix, given that it appears incompatible with the vsphere version on the same DVD.  At least I'm assuming that is what's making Orchestrator report the "incompatible server version" error at log-in?

[mmarinov · Accepted solution]

Hi Tim,

I have tried the version you specified in your post, e.g. 259021. What I have discovered is that on my x64 OS the correct orchestrator is installed w/ VC plugin 4.1 (check install directory\app-server\server\plugins\o11nplugin-vsphere41.dar).

So from installation point of view I think everything should be ok. On other hand, since you have previously installed 4.0 you might have its orchestrator instance as well, e.g. you have both 4.0 and 4.1 instances (in Program files and Program files (x86) directories).

A workaround could be:

- Backup your 4.0 installation. This installation should be within Program files (x86)\VMware\Orchestrator). To check this verify the version.txt file.

- Backup your 4.1. installation as well. This installation should be within Program files\VMware\Orchestrator.

- Once you have back up your installations export your configuration from 4.0: In the VMware vCenter Orchestrator Configuration go to the General menu, the Export Configuration

- Next, uninstall the 4.0. In order to do this go to the <4.0 install directory>\Uninstall_vCenter Orchestrator and run the uninstaller located there.

- As a result you must have only the 4.1 installation located in above directory

- Run the orchestrator configuration for 4.1 and you will see that vCenter Server plugin is pointing to the correct 4.1 version.

- You could import the configuration you have already done from General menu -> Import configuration.

Hope this helps.

Regards,

Martin Marinov

[Andreas_Diemer]

Hi Tim,

just while you've answered, I've looked in my ISO:

Date and size are the same, but on the ISO it is a 4.1 version. (VMware-VIMSetup-all-4.1.0-259021.iso). I never used a ZIP download, so I cannot proof the difference.

If you are using different versions of client and server as mentioned (4.0.x to 4.1) there must an error on successful login.

Regards, Andreas

[tmpearson]

This corrected the problem and required two additional steps to get the proper services in the right place...

After uninstalling 4.0.1, uninstall 4.1 and reinstall 4.1.

Then import the saved configuration.

Lastly set Orchestrator to run as a service in the new config, and start it.

Problem solved!

Thanks!

[godra]

Hi ,

I have tried this and it worked OK for me too.

Thanks guys.