PowerCLI Gives Up after a Day

[rseekell]

I've had this issue for several months:

In PowerShell, I connect to vCenter with Connect-VIServer and it works fine for 24-48 hours.  Then suddenly when I do certain tasks, it acts like I'm not authenticated.

So for example, I can Get-VM just fine, but if I do New-Snapshot, it gives a nasty error:

New-Snapshot: 1/20/2022 12:48:25 PM New-Snapshot One or more errors occurred. (com.vmware.vapi.std.errors.unauthenticated {'messages': [com.vmware.vapi.std.localizable_message {'id': com.vmware.vapi.endpoint.method.authentication.required, 'default_message': Authentication required., 'args': [], 'params': , 'localized':}], 'data': , 'error_type': UNAUTHENTICATED, 'challenge': Basic realm="VAPI endpoint",SIGN realm=b099b508ac36b374aead5848003806e1838f7cc5,service="VAPI endpoint",sts="https://myvsphere.net/sts/STSService/vsphere.local"})

And amazingly, the snapshot still takes place!

Even more perplexing: when I do disconnect-viserver and connect-viserver, it still gives me the same error.  Here's what Get-Task shows me:

Get-Task: 1/20/2022 12:54:39 PM Get-Task One or more errors occurred. (com.vmware.vapi.std.errors.unauthenticated {'messages': [com.vmware.vapi.std.localizable_message {'id': com.vmware.vapi.endpoint.method.authentication.required, 'default_message': Authentication required., 'args': [], 'params': , 'localized':}], 'data': , 'error_type': UNAUTHENTICATED, 'challenge': Basic realm="VAPI endpoint",SIGN realm=b099b508ac36b374aead5848003806e1838f7cc5,service="VAPI endpoint",sts="https://myvsphere.net/sts/STSService/vsphere.local"})

So the only thing I know to do is to close and relaunch PowerShell, which is an inconvenience.

Has anyone else seen this and have any ideas how to repair or prevent?

Thanks in advance!

[LucD]

Not exactly what you are seeing, but closing/starting your PS session on a regular basis is in any case advisable.
Starting my VSC, where I do my PS and PowerCLI session, is something I do at least daily.
PS and PowerCLI tend to get corruptions internally after a while, I noticed.
Who is to blame, I don't know.

Which PowerCLI and vSphere versions are you using?
Do you use a PS prompt or the VSC?
Which PS version?

[rseekell]

Hello, thanks for your reply.  

I have had this problem on Windows PowerShell 5.1 and currently on PowerShell 7.x.  I'm on vSphere 7 but if I recall correctly, this issue also occurred on vSphere 6.  I seem to have VMware modules 12.1.0.16...

I always use PowerShell itself directly.  I find it inconvenient to close/reopen PowerShell daily, as I often have tasks that carry over from day to day, plus it prevents multiple authentications every morning.  

Any other advice besides closing PowerShell console when these errors happen?

[LucD]

Not really.

When my session behaves "strange", the only way out is a stop/start.

[LucD]

I just think of something, are you using an SSO account to authenticate to the VCSA?
Or an account from another authenticator, like for example Active Directory?

[rseekell]

Hello, after some trial and error, I have learned that running all these steps will reset the VMware PowerCLI authentication without closing PowerShell. 

#disconnect from vCenter 

Disconnect-VIServer

#remove all modules in order of dependency

Remove-Module VMware.VimAutomation.Core

Remove-Module VMware.VimAutomation.Cis.Core

Get-Module vmware* | Remove-Module

#remove vmware variables

Remove-Variable DefaultVIServer

Remove-Variable DefaultVIServers

Remove-Variable UidUtil

#now reconnect

Connect-VIServer

This is my draft; there could be more to it. Use with discretion, obviously.

[LucD]

Glad this works for you, but would you mind explaining what the difference is with simply stopping/starting your PS session is?

And to add, a PS session suffers from corruption as well sometimes.
That is not fixed with your procedure.