unable to connect to web services to execute query

[tdubb123]

getting this error on vsphere6. when running a search query

any idea?

[npadmani]

Did you check VirtualCenter Management Webservices status? if it's already running then see following KB

KB is for vSphere Client 5.5, vCenter 5.5

VMware KB: Using the vSphere Client 5.5 to login, search, or sort the inventory fails with the error...

in your case you have mentioned vSphere 6, I have never faced it myself but if you see resolution steps in above KB, work around is, use vSphere Web Client. along with that other bullet points worth checking and see if that helps.

[tdubb123]

I am running vsphere 6.0 so that service is not available on 6.0

[npadmani]

ok, alternative would be starting/restarting vCenter invsvc.

are you using vCSA or vCenter windows deployment?

use following KB to see how to restart services in vCSA 6.0 (restart vmware-vpxd and/or vmware-invsvc)

VMware KB: Stopping, starting, or restarting VMware vCenter Server Appliance 6.0 services

if your's is vCS on Windows, use following KB to see how to restart service

VMware KB: Stopping, starting, or restarting VMware vCenter Server 6.0 services

[npadmani]

form older KB  2095897, one of the recommendation is, use Web Client instead of vSphere Client.

in previous version also, resolution to this issue is given in the form of work around solution.

[tdubb123]

I still need to use the thick client.

Also

I noticed if I login as administrator@vsphere.local using the thick client

I am able to search and no errors

however if I login as a gegular user with full administrator rights on that vcenter, it gives the above error

any idea?

I already granted rights.

When i login to the web client as a regular user with administrator rights, I do not see any vcenter.

But I do see them with

administrator@vsphere.local.

I granted the administrator rights at the vcenter level

[npadmani]

add that user account in Global Permission also please. and then login using that account in web client.

and also, after that user is added in global permission, use vi client and try to search, see if makes any difference.

Please use following guide, Page 84 onwards there are steps given to add a user in Global Permissions (just in case if you need it)

http://www.vmware.com/files/pdf/techpaper/VMW-vCTR-SRVR-Deployment-Guide-6-0.pdf

[tdubb123]

I added that account/group into global permissions and still gives same error.

Also logging in with that account in web client does not show any inventory. no vcenter, no cluster, nothing.

[npadmani]

ok, so administrator@vsphere.local gives you all you need but not your regular user.

Regular user which you are talking about is coming from AD? if yes, how did you add AD as an Identity Source, AD as Open LDAP or AD with proper SPN?

I have noticed similar behaviour specially in the case when I tried adding AD as an identity source in vCenter 6 SSO without proper SPN.

In my case, what used to happen is, let's say my AD domain is ABC.COM, and I have added it as Identity source in SSO like I explained in above line (without SPN), started assigning permission to user administrator@ABC.com on vCenter inventory. this whole thing was done using administrator@vsphere.local

now logged off and logged on as administrator@ABC.com with appropriate password, found that inventory is empty, but also noticed that even though I am trying to login using one of the ABC.com domain account, it's taking me into administrator@localhost account which is local machine admin account.

Solution: removed ABC.com from identity source list, added it again as AD over OpenLDAP, all well.

[fourg]

We're seeing the same if not similar issue with our vCenter 6.0 appliance when we use the thick client with it.  We are using "AD as LDAP" in the identity source and AD users are able to login and do everything they should be able to in the thick client, but when they attempt to search or sort they get the "Unable to connect to web services to execute query".  If they login with the web client they can search and sort without issue.  What sounds like is different for us, is that even logging in with the vsphere.local\administrator account in the thick client we cant search or sort either.

[mavatko]

I had a same issue and this helped: http://www.thevirtualist.org/security-issue-after-updating-to-vcenter-60/