VMware Cloud Community
saritasa
Contributor
Contributor

can't start VRM service on fresh install of appliance

Hi,

Getting this error:

Error applying startup configuration: Server returned 'request expired' less than 0 seconds after request was issued, but it shouldn't have expired for at least 600 seconds.

https://vrm.vmware.domain.local:5480/service/hms/cgi/health.py

gives green

LookupService Address: vcenter.vmware.domain.local (and it's pingable from ssh @ vrm.vmware.domain.loca, DNS is set in networkingl)
SSO Admin: Administrator@vmware.domain.local (Such SSO domain exists in vcenter and I can login in vcenter web UI with vmware.domain.local\Administrator)

VRM Host: vrm.vmware.domain.local (also pinged from multiple hosts)

VRM Site Name: VRM NPB
vcenter Server Address: vcenter.vmware.domain.local

vcenter server port: 80

If I click Start VRM Service, it gets into

VRM service is started and quickly reverts to

VRM service is stopped

Installation of vcenter and vrm is done from ISO appliances

Inside /opt/vmware/hms/logs/hms-configtool.log I see a lot of messages like ERROR: relation "users_privileges" does not exist

inside vcenter web client services com.vmware.vcHms.label (vcenter.vmware.domain.local) - Unknown - I see that Failed to request health status from https://vrm.vmware.domain.local:5480/service/hms/cgi/health.py

What can be done?

I even debugged the script the VRM UI sends

http GET https://vrm.vmware.domain.local:5480/service/hms/cgi/hms.py?cmd=checklscert&ls=vcenter.vmware.domain...

{

   "result":{

      "vc":{

         "uuid":"56d6e005-2229-4bc6-99e9-7969c8883efd",

         "notBefore":"26 Jun 2015 12:56:47 GMT",

         "notAfter":"20 Jun 2025 12:56:47 GMT",

         "valid":"Certificate validation error",

         "thumbprint":"8D:E6:70:13:D2:4A:2D:D6:D7:27:21:C3:FA:36:48:56:F3:EA:91:EA",

         "subject":{

            "C":"US",

            "CN":"vcenter.vmware.domain.local",

            "L":"Unknown",

            "O":"Unknown",

            "ST":"Unknown",

            "OU":"Unknown"

         },

         "issuer":{

            "C":"US",

            "CN":"CA",

            "DC":"vmware",

            "L":"Unknown",

            "O":"vcenter.vmware.domain.local",

            "ST":"Unknown",

            "OU":"Unknown"

         }

      },

      "result":"ok",

      "ls":{

         "notBefore":"26 Jun 2015 12:56:47 GMT",

         "notAfter":"20 Jun 2025 12:56:47 GMT",

         "valid":"true",

         "thumbprint":"8D:E6:70:13:D2:4A:2D:D6:D7:27:21:C3:FA:36:48:56:F3:EA:91:EA",

         "subject":{

            "C":"US",

            "CN":"vcenter.vmware.domain.local",

            "L":"Unknown",

            "O":"Unknown",

            "ST":"Unknown",

            "OU":"Unknown"

         },

         "issuer":{

            "C":"US",

            "CN":"CA",

            "DC":"vmware",

            "L":"Unknown",

            "O":"vcenter.vmware.domain.local",

            "ST":"Unknown",

            "OU":"Unknown"

         }

      }

   },

   "error":null

}

If I'm trying to unregister the appliance I get this error: The appliance has to be configured correctly for unregister to work.

So it's a dead end Smiley Happy I love AWS so much better ... this is crazy Smiley Happy

thanks

4 Replies
anaelS
Contributor
Contributor

It is old, but I hit that post during troubleshooting.

You can check your NTP settings, everything should be in sync with the same time reference.

After that, you can generate again the appliance self signed certificate.

Camero
VMware Employee
VMware Employee

For anyone who is going to encounter this issue just follow below tips

1. Make sure the ESXi where the VR appliance is going to be deployed(or already deployed) in also configured to sync with the same NTP server as that of of the PSC/VC VM

2.  While deploying the VR provide the same NTP server and after deployment make sure the Time zone is same as that of the NTP server.

3. If you already deployed the appliance and then performed the changes in step-1, just login to VR appliance console and change the time zone settings.and check if the Time displayed matches with that of the PSC. If you needed to restart the VR appliance please do so before proceeding with the configuration.

DeclanGowran
Contributor
Contributor

Can confirm this worked for me , verified timezone and ntp on vcenter, external platform services controller and replication appliance. Also worked by pointing to external Platform controller.

alflopez
Contributor
Contributor

I had the exact same error message on a new VR deployment.

Camero's solution worked out for me. Actually, I just had to configure the same NTP server in both the ESX hosting the VR appliance and the vCenter managing that ESX host.

There's no need to struggle with the timezone. The VCSA comes with "Etc/UTC" timezone by default and it is NOT possible to change the ESX host's timezone.

I still don't understand why many error messages in VMware products are so misleading and/or provide so little helpful information...