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Yino
Contributor
Contributor

SRM VMWare Site Recovery Manager Service will not start after password change of SRM service account.

Hi

Have a ESX 3.5 implementation running a VM vCentre.

We have to change passwords for our service accounts as part of our security requirements.

After the password change SRM stopped working, the service VMWare Site Recovery Manager Service will not start.

The Rest of the ESX function works with no issues (update

manager etc...) The log file seems to suggest that the service account is the

problems but Vi client works fine (the srm plugin will not install or connect

to the SRM server. SQL SRM database has

been verified as functioning. From VI

client get error "connection to the local site recovery manager at https://xx.xxx.xxx.186:8059/dr

failed."

sample of log file:

0:29.703 'TestProvider' 1252 info] Provider 'TestProvider'

has MoRef 'dr.SecondaryTestProvider:secondary-test-provider'.

[2008-12-18 15:40:29.703 'SecondaryReplication' 1252

info] Registered provider 'TestProvider'

2008-12-18 15:40:29.703 'TestProvider' 1252 info Plugin

started.

2008-12-18 15:40:29.718 'DrServiceInstance' 1252 info

LocalSite already installed - Good!

2008-12-18 15:40:31.531 'App' 1252 info

Vmacore::InitSSL: doVersionCheck = true, handshakeTimeoutUs = 120000000

2008-12-18 15:40:31.546 'MainVcConnection' 1252 info VC

Connection: Logging in as user 'kmh\svc_vmwarevc'

2008-12-18 15:40:31.625 'MainVcConnection' 1252 warning

Failed to login to VC: Unexpected MethodFault (vim.fault.InvalidLogin) {

dynamicType = <unset>,

msg =

"Login failed due to a bad username or password."

}

[2008-12-18 15:40:31.640 'DrServiceInstance' 1252

warning] Initializing service content: Unexpected MethodFault

(vim.fault.InvalidLogin) {

dynamicType =

<unset>,

msg =

"Login failed due to a bad username or password."

Now initially vmware technical support said the only way to rectify this problem is to rebuild SRM. This is not acceptable. SRM has taken quite some time to configure and with no SRM configuration export tool I need a fix for this simple password change.

Vmware technical suggested the following fix to try on the vCenter server:

After few more research I found something interesting.

It's like a command has been shipped to allow you to change the password.

To do that, on the SRM Server open a command prompt, go

to "C:\Program Files\VMware\VMware Site Recovery Manager\bin" and

depending on the version of SRM it should be either:

srm-config.exe -cmd updateuser -cfg

..\config\vmware-dr.xml -u <userID>

or

srm-config.exe -cmd confuserbased -cfg ..\config\vmware-dr.xml

-sitename <siteName> -vc <vcIP> -u <userID>

I could not get it working on my side due to certificate

issue but if you're using your own certificate authority it should work.

So for my environment we had to execute the following based on the instruction above, we are using self certificates.

NOTE: the "-vc" switch needs the name of the vCentre server, which should be "servervc01" BUT this seems to conflict with the self certificate in the vCentre. The certificate has been issued just to a generic "vmware" rather than the name of the actual vCentre server. So to actually make this command work I had to put an entry in the server host file that points the "vmware" name to itself (like a localhost). See below:

D:\Program Files\VMware\VMware Site Recovery

Manager\bin>srm-config.exe -cmd confuserbased -cfg ..\config\vmware-dr.xml

-sitename building1 -vc vmware -u svc_vc

I get the following:

D:\Program Files\VMware\VMware Site Recovery

Manager\bin>srm-config.exe -cmd con fuserbased -cfg ..\config\vmware-dr.xml

-sitename building1 -vc vmware -u svc _vc

2009-01-07 16:12:27.209 'App' 740 info Current working

directory: D:\Program F iles\VMware\VMware Site Recovery Manager\bin

2009-01-07 16:12:27.224 'BaseLibs' 740 info HOSTINFO:

Seeing Intel CPU, numCor esPerCPU 4 numThreadsPerCore 1.

2009-01-07 16:12:27.224 'BaseLibs' 740 info HOSTINFO:

numPhysCPUs is 0, bumpin g to 1.

2009-01-07 16:12:27.224 'BaseLibs' 740 info HOSTINFO:

This machine has 1 physi cal CPUS, 2 total cores, and 2 logical CPUs.

2009-01-07 16:12:27.365 'BaseLibs' 740 info Using

system libcrypto, version 90 70AF

2009-01-07 16:12:29.021 'SRM config tool' 740 info

Vmacore::InitSSL: doVersion Check = true, handshakeTimeoutUs = 120000000 Enter

password for username svc_vmwarevc:

2009-01-07 16:12:43.006 'BaseLibs' 740 warning

SSLVerifyCertAgainstSystemStore

: Subject mismatch: VMware vs

ThisHadBetterNotBeAValidHostName!!

2009-01-07 16:12:43.006 'BaseLibs' 740 warning SSLVerifyCertAgainstSystemStore

: The remote host certificate has these problems:

  • The host name used for the connection does not match

the subject name on the h ost certificate

2009-01-07 16:12:43.053 'SRM config tool' 740 info VC

Connection: Authenticati ng unprivileged user 'svc_vmwarevc'

2009-01-07 16:12:43.084 'SRM config tool' 740 info VC

Connection: Logged in!

2009-01-07 16:12:43.099 'SRM config tool' 740 verbose

VC Connection: Logged ou t

2009-01-07 16:12:43.115 'CredentialsStore' 740 verbose

Stored credentials, key ='vmware', username='svc_vmwarevc'

Command executed successfully.

This all looks sorta okay BUT the "VMWare Site Recovery Manager Service" still will not start. After trying the SRM service restart and failing the log file has this entry:

*The last srm vmware log shows (c:\document and

settings\all users\application data\vmware\vmware site recovery manager\logs*

Log for VMware Site Recovery Manager, pid=3816,

version=1.0.0, build=build-97878, option=Release, section=2

2009-01-07 16:13:25.318 'App' 3820 warning Failed to

create console writer

2009-01-07 16:13:25.318 'App' 3832 info Intializing the

DBManager

2009-01-07 16:13:25.459 'App' 3832 info Current working

directory: D:\Program Files\VMware\VMware Site Recovery Manager\bin

2009-01-07 16:13:25.459 'ThreadPool' 3832 verbose

TaskMax=10, IoMin=1, IoMax=21

2009-01-07 16:13:25.459 'App' 3832 info Trying

DrExternalRecoveryApi

2009-01-07 16:13:25.459 'App' 3832 verbose Plugin 0

path: dr-external-recovery-api.dll

2009-01-07 16:13:25.459 'App' 3832 verbose Plugin 0

absolute path: D:\Program Files\VMware\VMware Site Recovery

Manager\bin\dr-external-recovery-api.dll

2009-01-07 16:13:25.459 'App' 3832 info Trying

RecoverySecondary

2009-01-07 16:13:25.474 'App' 3832 verbose Plugin 1

path: dr-secondary-recovery.dll

2009-01-07 16:13:25.474 'App' 3832 verbose Plugin 1

absolute path: D:\Program Files\VMware\VMware Site Recovery

Manager\bin\dr-secondary-recovery.dll

2009-01-07 16:13:25.474 'App' 3832 info Trying

SanProvider

2009-01-07 16:13:25.474 'App' 3832 verbose Plugin 2

path: dr-san-provider.dll

2009-01-07 16:13:25.474 'App' 3832 verbose Plugin 2

absolute path: D:\Program Files\VMware\VMware Site Recovery Manager\bin\dr-san-provider.dll

2009-01-07 16:13:25.474 'App' 3832 info Trying

TestProvider

2009-01-07 16:13:25.474 'App' 3832 verbose Plugin 3

path: dr-test-provider.dll

2009-01-07 16:13:25.474 'App' 3832 verbose Plugin 3

absolute path: D:\Program Files\VMware\VMware Site Recovery

Manager\bin\dr-test-provider.dll

2009-01-07 16:13:25.474 'SrmServiceInstance' 3832 info

DrExtApi Service Instance is initialized.

[2009-01-07 16:13:25.474 'DrExternalRecoveryApi' 3832

info] Plugin started.

2009-01-07 16:13:25.474 'SanProvider' 3832 info

Provider 'SanProvider' has MoRef

'dr.primary.SanReplicationProvider:PrimarySanProvider'.

2009-01-07 16:13:25.474 'Replication' 3832 info

Registered provider 'SanProvider'

2009-01-07 16:13:25.474 'SanProvider' 3832 info

Provider 'SanProvider' has MoRef

'dr.secondary.SanReplicationProvider:SecondarySanProvider'.

[2009-01-07 16:13:25.474 'SecondaryReplication' 3832

info] Registered provider 'SanProvider'

2009-01-07 16:13:25.474 'SanProvider' 3832 info Plugin

started.

2009-01-07 16:13:25.474 'TestProvider' 3832 info

Provider 'TestProvider' has MoRef

'dr.PrimaryTestProvider:primary-test-provider'.

2009-01-07 16:13:25.474 'Replication' 3832 info

Registered provider 'TestProvider'

2009-01-07 16:13:25.474 'TestProvider' 3832 info

Provider 'TestProvider' has MoRef

'dr.SecondaryTestProvider:secondary-test-provider'.

[2009-01-07 16:13:25.474 'SecondaryReplication' 3832

info] Registered provider 'TestProvider'

2009-01-07 16:13:25.474 'TestProvider' 3832 info Plugin

started.

2009-01-07 16:13:25.490 'DrServiceInstance' 3832 info

LocalSite already installed - Good!

2009-01-07 16:13:27.349 'App' 3832 info

Vmacore::InitSSL: doVersionCheck = true, handshakeTimeoutUs = 120000000

2009-01-07 16:13:27.381 'MainVcConnection' 3832 info VC

Connection: Logging in as user 'svc_vmwarevc'

2009-01-07 16:13:27.428 'MainVcConnection' 3832 info VC

Connection: Logged in!

2009-01-07 16:13:27.474 'App' 3832 error Extension

com.vmware.vcDr specifies a server with invalid proxy information

2009-01-07 16:13:27.474 'DrServiceInstance' 3832 error

Registration with the local VC server is not valid

[2009-01-07 16:13:27.474 'DrServiceInstance' 3832

warning] Initializing service content: Unexpected exception 'class

Vmacore::Exception' Registration with the local VC server is not valid

2009-01-07 16:13:27.474 'App' 3832 error Application

error: Registration with the local VC server is not valid. Shutting down ...

2009-01-07 16:13:27.584 'App' 3828 info

vmware-dr service stopped

And now I am stuck again. I think I am going in the right direction but the interation of certificate and the srm-config.exe tool may have something to do with it.

I just think this is just bleeding stupid that simply changing the service account password causes such a problem, this should be simply a basic function.

Anyway

Can anyone suggest or help??

Thanks

Yin

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5 Replies
JT2
Contributor
Contributor

Hello, This post was very helpful.

I used the following suggested command: "srm-config.exe -cmd updateuser -cfg ..\config\vmware-dr.xml -u , don't use domain prefix.

Thanks!

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maronep
Contributor
Contributor

Thanks guys, saved my ass on a Friday arvo. Worked for me as well.. We didnt change our passwords tho, started getting errors after deleting a protection group after a failover.

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whynotq
Commander
Commander

Wouldn't it be great if we could award points for other peoples posts! this has just saved me a long car journey and lengthy re-install, top post.

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vitman
Contributor
Contributor

Thank you guys! Extremely helpful, saved me a lot of pain 🙂 Great Job!

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walywrld
Contributor
Contributor

I had a similar issue and it was caused by the vsrmlogin user on the SQL database server was set to "enforce password expiration". I unchecked that and then my service started as expected.

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