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ChrisNaisbitt
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Issue deploying Orchestrator plug-in for vSphere Web Client

Hi,

I'm new to Orchestrator and trying to build out VRO v8.1 environment in a lab. After a few false starts I've got the VRO appliance up and running and linked it to a vCenter which I can browse in the inventory. I'm now trying to deploy the Orchestrator plug-in for vSphere Web Client using the "Register vCenter Orchestrator as a vCenter Server extension" workflow but it's failing to register the plug-in (the workflow itself succeeds).

I fear I may have caused this myself as before I attempted the deployment I followed the instructions here to update to the latest plugin version. I possibly should have followed the steps on the release page for the plug-in instead as it mentions taking note of the file permissions before uploading the latest version of the Zip file to Orchestrator which I did not do. I've tried to copy the permissions of another plug-in in the same directory but I don't know if these are correct. This is what the permissions are currently set to:

pastedImage_5.png

When I run the workflow it succeeds but when I look at the plug-in's in vCenter it shows as deployment failed and the error is that the Orchestrator appliance is returning error 500 when vCenter tries to download the plugin. I've tried accessing the URL directly from a browser and I get the same result. I did notice that the URL has what looks like an extra "/" after the FQDN of the appliance, not sure if this is the issue or expected but I did make sure not to include a slash when entering the FQDN of the VRO appliance in the workflow - https://<FQDN>//vco/vsphere-web-client/vco-plugin.zip

This is the error in vCenter:

pastedImage_0.png

I'm running:

vCenter 6.7.0.42000

vRealize Orchestrator 8.1.0.15962410 as a single node not part of VRA

Orchestrator plug-in for vSphere Web Client 7.4.0.13701555

Has anyone run into this issue or can you suggest how I can resolve it? Any help would be gratefully received.

Thanks,

Chris

1 Solution

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iiliev
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  • Port :443 to be added to vRO 8x FQDNs
  • Flex plug-in works with Flex Web client; html5 plug-in works with html5 Web client. Other combinations will not work
  • Html5 plug-in should move out of beta around 8.2 release
  • Version is shown as 7.3.1 because the code that registers the extension is not in this plug-in but at vRO vCenter plug-in, which uses shared libraries from platform 7.3.1 for compatibility reasons

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ChrisNaisbitt
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Update

It definitely seems to be related to the double / in the URL and so probably isn't file permissions. If I call the URL in a browser without the double / I get the Zip file download:

Does not download the file, throws 500 internal server error:

https://<FQDN>;//vco/vsphere-web-client/vco-plugin.zip

Does download the file:

https://<FQDN>/vco/vsphere-web-client/vco-plugin.zip

So the question is, why does VRO add the extra slash? I'm calling the workflow without a / on the end of the FQDN so I don't think it's me.

pastedImage_3.png

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iiliev
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Could you check how the URL to the plug looks like in vCenter Extension Manager?

To do so, open in browser https://your-VC-FQDN/mob https://vc6.sof-mbu.eng.vmware.com/mob/?moid=ExtensionManager&doPath=extensionList%5b%22com%2evmware...

Then navigate content > ExtensionManager > extensionList["com.vmware.vco"] > client

I'm pretty sure that at some point I followed the same steps as you, and the URL in the registered extension didn't have double slashes after FQDN.

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ChrisNaisbitt
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Hi Ilian,

Thanks for the suggestion. You are right, the URI internally doesn't have the double slash and looks correct. I presume the double slash is just a presentation issue in the error message and not the root cause of my problem.

pastedImage_1.png

Pasting the URI into a browser results in the Zip file downloading so that seems correct. I do note that the version string does not match the version I'm deploying. I tried this section of the release notes for the plug-in but didn't find the folder it describes that should be deleted:

In Web Client appliance:

  1. Stop Web Client service by executing service-control --stop vsphere-client in a shell terminal
  2. Check the content of folder /etc/vmware/vsphere-client/vc-packages/vsphere-client-serenity/ , and delete the sub-folder named com.vmware.vco-<someversion>
  3. Start Web Client service by executing service-control --start vsphere-client in a shell terminal
  4. Launch a browser and login to Web Client UI. It should automatically download and deploy the updated plug-in build.

pastedImage_4.png

I'm not sure where to go next at this point.

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iiliev
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The version is 7.3.1 because the code which creates the extension resides in vRO vCenter plug-in, and as this plug-in should be compatible with all vRO version, it is built against vRO platform libraries that were released as vRealize 7.3.1 release. So it is safe to ignore this version number as long as it is greater than the version of vCenter server.

So the URL in extension looks correct. Unfortunately, there is nothing else vRO can do after registering the extension; the entire download and deployment process is handled by vSphere Web Client, so I'm not sure who puts this extra slash character after FQDN and how/if this could be fixed. I'd suggest to try to contact vCenter team to advise what would be the next steps.

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aslk5
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Will an updated plugin be released anytime soon? The official docs links to a version (Version 7.4.0.13701555) that isn't clear whether or not it's compatible with the HTML5 client. The beta plugin linked in the documents section of this community seems newer version (build 14017091)

With a 6.7U3f vCenter and a vRO 8.1, should we be using the 137 or 140 build plugin? Or does it depend on whether we use flash or HTML5 interface?

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ChrisNaisbitt
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I've actually managed to get the plug-in to deploy successfully by removing it through the MOB and re-deploying it via the workflow:

pastedImage_1.png

The next issue is that it it has not liked any vRO servers:

pastedImage_2.png

No problem I thought, I can edit the the configuration to add the vRO server. Unfortunately it seems the port number is hardcoded to 8281 as used by vRO v7.X which I don't think v8.X uses:

pastedImage_4.png

pastedImage_3.png

I'm not sure where to go from here.

I did find the vSphere Web Client plug-in mentioned by aslk5 but it looks from the documentation that this is a separate package that sits on top of the existing plug-in and exposes it through the HTML5 interface in place of the Flex interface. While this would be on my list to get set up it looks like it still requires a working copy of the current plug-in.

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iiliev
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HTML5-based plug-in and Flex-based plug-in are two completely different things. Neither of them require the other in order to work. Each of them is deployable on the matching vSphere Web Client type.

The port is indeed incorrect, all vRO 8.x appliances are accessible on port 443 (the default https port). Could you try to remove the extension and add it again, but this time providing an URL that explicitly specifies port 443 (https://FQDN:443)? And also provide port in edit connections dialog (the last screenshots).

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OsburnM
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Do you mean to say add the :443 to the advertising URL or to the vCenter's URL in the Register workflow?

I'm having all kinds of problem too.. exactly same issues as OP.

No matter what I do, it shows as being registered as 7.3.1; yet, the WAR files are 7.4 and it's only visible in the flash client, not the HTML5 client.

vSphere 6.7u3f

vRO 8.1

using the Version 7.4.0.13701555 vco plugin zip file from Technical Preview of Orchestrator plug-in for vSphere Web Client

Thanks!

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OsburnM
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Maybe we should be asking a more basic question...

Is the vRO 8.1 appliance vCenter plugin even supported in the HTML5/ui client?  I seem to be able to get it working in the flash client but cant get it in the html5 UI client.

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aslk5
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Is the vRO 8.1 appliance vCenter plugin even supported in the HTML5/ui client?  I seem to be able to get it working in the flash client but cant get it in the html5 UI client.

HTML5 integration needs this: vRealize Orchestrator Plug-in for vSphere Client - Beta

I downloaded the file and followed the install instructions on my test VCSA and the integration is working for me.

No idea when a non-beta plugin will be released though.

OsburnM
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Oh good grief.  Nowhere in the vRO 8.1 documentation does it point this out.  LOL  There's 3 hours of my life I'm not getting back.  Smiley Happy

Thank you for this info.  Very helpful!

HTML5 integration needs this: vRealize Orchestrator Plug-in for vSphere Client - Beta

I downloaded the file and followed the install instructions on my test VCSA and the integration is working for me.

No idea when a non-beta plugin will be released though.

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iiliev
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  • Port :443 to be added to vRO 8x FQDNs
  • Flex plug-in works with Flex Web client; html5 plug-in works with html5 Web client. Other combinations will not work
  • Html5 plug-in should move out of beta around 8.2 release
  • Version is shown as 7.3.1 because the code that registers the extension is not in this plug-in but at vRO vCenter plug-in, which uses shared libraries from platform 7.3.1 for compatibility reasons
ChrisNaisbitt
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Thanks everyone for the help and the information.

I can confirm adding :443 to the end of the URL works.

After re-running "Register vCenter Orchestrator as a vCenter Server extension" with the "External address to advertise this Orchestrator." variable including the :443 and editing the config in vC to add :443 to the address of the vRO server it's now working.

I haven't tried the HTML5 plug-in yet but assume that will also work if the port is explicitly defined.

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