Vsphere Web client and fat client cannot connect to Vcenter server appliance 5.5 , web client fails with error 2032 before login, then works after a ferw minutes.

[danandrews]

Hi all,

   I really need some help here.  I have a fresh install of Esxi5.5 and installed the vcenter server appliance 5.5.0.5201 build 1476389.

I have host files configured correctly for DNS and have a 2008 R2 server running that I use to connect with web client or fat client.

Initially I get an error with web client on connect , it starts to paint Vmware and when it gets to 'r' in name it fails with #2032 , then I can no longer

get to the page at all , it says connection refused for the page. If I wait a while I can connect again.

vSphere fat client fails at this time as well.  , i can however connect with Vsphere client directly to esxi server host and it works all the time.

There seems to be a problem with the vcenter server appliance because the fat client fails , and a backup program that uses vcenter server wont display

inventory when this happens either.

Please help , this is driving me crazy...

Dan

[manickam2011101]

This is a released build of vcva, version 5.5.0.1 GA .ie.,: Patch 5.5.0ba Released on 12/22/13 

Could you please post logs. There are various reasons for this kind of issues seen in your environment,  can you confirm whether that issues you seen is  similar to below KB's described or not?.

1.) Accessing a vCenter Server using Web access or vSphere Client fails with an SSL certificate error (1021514)

2.) Diagnosing the vSphere Client when it fails to connect to an ESX/ESXi host or vCenter Server (1003870)

3.) Connecting to vCenter Server using the vSphere Client fails with the error: The request failed because of a connection failure. (2015014)

[danandrews]

Thank you for your reply!  Yes I have been through those kb articles and none of them apply.  What logs and where are they can I send you? Are these the vpx directory logs in windows?

One other note I wanted to mention , last night I rdp'd into the 2008 server vm and was able to connect with the vSphere client , I left that open and disconnected rather than logged off the rdp session. This morning I went in , vsphere client was still connected to vcenter server and then I opened browser and connect with web client , it worked! That has never happened.  Every morning it will fail the web client the first time as described above error 2032, then no access to webpage.

Its almost as if something is timing out on vcenter server?  Anyway please let me know what you need and I will send asap.

Thank you for your help!

Dan

[brucekconvergen]

Try using Firefox.

[danandrews]

Thank you, but I have used Chrome and IE already , its not a browser issue. Its something to do with vcenter server.

Thanks,

Dan

[manickam2011101]

Thanks for the updated information. Now it seems works fine as expected.

Could you please confirm on configured timeout values on vSphere WebClient/VI Client. Check whether it has been configured for client to never time out, specify a negative value or 0.

Increasing the vSphere Web Client session timeout period (2040626)

Increasing vCenter Server timeout settings (1002721)

Thanks,

Marichetty.

[danandrews]

Actually its not working as expected or fixed.  The only way to make it work every time I start the web client, is to leave the vsphere fat client connected all the time. Is this normal?

The timeouts you suggest are for the client 'once you are connected' and not for vcenter server.  i have the issue 'initially connecting' after some period or overnight as an example.

The issue is this in a nutshell , if I wait overnight or some long period of time , I cannot connect to vcenter server appliance without the 2032 error , then no web page after.,

every time.

If I leave the fat client connected overnight , I never have an issue with the web client or any software connecting to the vcenter server appliance.

I am really hoping someone has seen this and can help troubleshoot the issue.  I really need to get this solved.

Thank You,

Dan

[danandrews]

Also , when I used the article as described to lengthen vcenter server timeout , when I edit and choose timeout settings , it just sits there with Loading.....  forever.

Any idea on this issue?

Thank you for your help!

Dan

[manickam2011101]

Also , when I used the article as described to lengthen vcenter server timeout , when I edit and choose timeout settings , it just sits there with Loading.....  forever.

Any idea on this issue?

This could be an known issue. This issue will be similar to this KB described. Cannot access the vCenter Server Advanced Settings panel in the vSphere Web Client (2064058)

Could you please upload vc-support logs, VI Client, Web client logs at the time of issue occurs.

[danandrews]

The issue with not being able to access settings is a known issue , however they dont tell you how to access those advanced vcenter settings with the vsphere client.

Can you please forward instructions on how to get the logs you need?  Also , this should be for the original issue of error 2032.

Thank a lot,

Dan

[danandrews · Accepted solution]

Hello,

    I have since found the solution to the problem of connecting to vcenter appliance.  It was an IP conflict on the network.  There was a virtuall machine with the same IP

as the vcenter server.  This was causing the intermittent issues etc. Why the web client would work consistently if I have the vmware client open I dont know

so thank you for your help.

Dan