503 Service Unavailable using the latest UI vib under ESXi 5.0

[bbiandov]

I am using the latest UI vib from 9-16-2016 under ESXi 5.0:

VMware_bootbank_esx-ui_1.9.1-4393350

   Name: esx-ui

   Version: 1.9.1-4393350

   Type: bootbank

   Vendor: VMware

   Acceptance Level: VMwareCertified

   Summary: VMware Host Client

   Description: An embedded web UI for ESXi

   Release Date: 2016-09-16

   Depends: esx-version >= 5.0.0

   Conflicts:

   Replaces:

   Provides:

   Maintenance Mode Required: False

   Hardware Platforms Required:

   Live Install Allowed: True

   Live Remove Allowed: True

   Stateless Ready: True

   Overlay: False

   Tags:

   Payloads: esx-ui

Everything worked for months (I've been using the earlier versions). One day the ESXi rebooted and now I am getting the dreaded 503 error. This was definitively NOT as a result of an upgrade or any change. The vib has been working fine. This is most defenitely as a result of the reboot but now I am stuck? Nothing that I can see could have changed and the ESXi functions normally - no red flags except for the 503 error? And no it isn't the "/ui/" thing - I've known about it since day one

Any suggestions? Thank you

[elesueur · Accepted solution]

Hi there,

It's likely that changes you made to the reverse proxy configuration have been reverted on reboot, unfortunately.

In 5.0, the configuration is held in /etc/vmware/hostd/proxy.xml. Find an entry that looks like:

<e id="2">
<_type>vim.ProxyService.LocalServiceSpec</_type>
<accessMode>httpsWithRedirect</accessMode>
<por>8308</port>
<serverNamespace>/ui</serverNamespace>
</e>

Remove that entry.

Unfortunately, there is still more to do. You need to re-number the other entries, and change the <_length> value at the top of the file.

Restart hostd and now, your host client should work! You still have to have the trailing / though.

[bbiandov]

Thanks elesueurelesueurelesueur,

Yes that was the root cause. Editing the proxy.xml did correct the issue. I recall doing that the first time when I installed the vib. Any clue as to why it would revert back to the original proxy.xml? It's not like the datastore got wiped or anything. In fact I could see my previous .vib files there so the disk in itself did not revert back to its old state; only proxy.xml did?

Thanks again, I am back in biz so at this point it is just curiousity and knowing the true cause of the issue with rebooting my box

BTW one can not edit proxy.xml directly on VMware ESXi 5.0.0 build-3086167 so for the benefit of anyone reading this in the future I referred to this KB for a simple copy; edit and then copy back:

https://kb.vmware.com/selfservice/microsites/search.do?language=en_US&cmd=displayKC&externalId=20696...

Lastly

/etc/init.d/hostd restart

did the trick and I can login to my UI now

That's it and voila!