After hours of doing everything and I mean I tried all you tried over and over plus more.  I fell back and punted.  Resigned that a fix-forward is not in our control, and is all on vmware to remediate.  17.0.2 NG.  17.0.1 IDK.  Too bad.  It was a new license purchase and first time install.  Leaves a sour taste.  Would have expected someone at VM to have addressed this already.