VMware Update Manager Utility - can't login for SSL re-cert

[Matt_B1]

As part of http://kb.vmware.com/selfservice/microsites/search.do?cmd=displayKC&docType=kc&docTypeID=DT_KB_1_1&e... , I am at step 7 where I enter credentials for the VMwareUpdateManagerUtility.exe.  It just hangs and eventually errors out.  I have copied the new SSL certificate files over.  I get 2 different errors no matter what I try.

Error 1: "Failed to run vciInstallUtility."

Error 2: "Error:: Unknown vCenter Server error."

For "vCenter Server IP Address or Name", I have tried <vcenter FQDN>:80, <vCenter IP>:80, <vCenter fake DNS from hosts file>:80 and they all hang for several minutes then give one of the errors.  VUM is installed on a separate VM from vCenter.  I have done a full re-install of VUM.  I am using vCenter and VUM from the 5.1.0-880471 install media since that is our baseline.  I have verified that port 80 is correct using this query on VCDB, SELECT VALUE FROM VPX_PARAMETER WHERE NAME = 'WebService.Ports.http';.  Any suggestions?

[Matt_B1 · Accepted solution]

I gave up, uninstalled VUM from the admin server, re-installed it on the vCenter server, used 127.0.0.1 and finally got VUM with valid SSL certs.  As part our design, we did not want to have VUM on the same server as vCenter but I was left with no other option.

[imompero]

Did you call support, were they able to offer any suggestions? I have the same issues and would really like to have VUM on a separate server

[Matt_B1]

No, I spent way too much time on the vCenter 5.1 upgrades and got burnt out troubleshooting 10+ different errors across my vCenters and dealing with VMware support.  For this VUM issue, I never tried again to run VUM on a non-vCenter server.

[imompero]

I agree this 5.1 implementation has been a real bear.  I will probably be opening a SR today to see what the issue is.