vCenter Service Status reports the error: Unable to retrieve health data http://old.hostname:10443/secure/health

Products

• VMware vCenter Server

Issue/Introduction

This article provides steps to change the hostname of the vCenter Server inventory service.

Symptoms:

• After changing the hostname of your vCenter Server, vCenter Service Status reports the error:
  
  Unable to retrieve health data from http://old.hostname:10443/secure/health
  
  
• vCenter Service Status displays a red alert

Environment

VMware vCenter Server 5.0.x
VMware vCenter Server 5.1.x

Resolution

To resolve this issue, you must change the hostname of the vCenter Server inventory service that is stored in the ADAM database.

Before modifying the hostname:

1. Log in to the vCenter Server machine and open a Web browser.
2. Navigate and log in to https://localhost/mob.
3. In the browser address bar, type https://localhost/mob/?moid=ServiceDirectory.
4. Under Properties, you see two service[".....VIMWEBSVC"] linked entries for VALUE, of which one is for vCenter and the other is for VSPHERE-INVENTORY-SERVICE.
   
   Note: vCenter Server, by default, should have three ServerEndpoints displayed on this page, two [.../VIMWEBSVC]and one [.../VIMAPI].
   
   
5. Identify the link for the VSPHERE-INVENTORY-SERVICE instanceName string.
6. Note the value of key string. For example, 7237b07a-7cb6-41b3-8b3c-6774aebdde05/VIMWEBSVC.
7. Click the back arrow in the browser.
8. In the ManagedObjectReference:ServiceDirectory screen, click UnregisterService.
9. For VALUE, type the VSPHERE-INVENTORY-SERVICE key string noted in Step 6.
10. Click Invoke Method.
11. Wait for five minutes.

To modify this hostname:

1. Start ADSI Edit by navigating to Start > All Programs > Administrative Tools > ADSI Edit.
2. Right-click ADSI Edit and click Connect To.
3. Under Connection Point, select Select or Type a Distinguished Name or Naming Context.
4. Enter dc=virtualcenter,dc=vmware,dc=int.
5. Under Computer, select Select or type a domain or server.
6. Enter the name of vCenter Server.
7. Click OK.
8. Expand Default Naming Context section.
9. Expand DC=virtualcenter,DC=vmware,DC=int.
10. Expand OU=Health.
11. Expand OU=ComponentSpecs.
12. Expand OU=Some_GUID.
13. Right click one of the CN=Some_GUID and click properties.
14. Scroll down and locate the attribute vmw-vc-URL.
15. Determine if the value for this attribute has the wrong hostname.
    
    Note: If the attribute contains the wrong hostname, double-click the attribute and update it with the correct hostname. If it has the correct hostname, choose a different CN=Some_GUID and repeat Steps 11 to 13.
    
    
16. Click OK to save your changes.
17. Click Start > Run, type services.msc, and click OK. The Windows services opens.
18. Restart the vCenter Inventory service.
19. Restart the VMware VirtualCenter Management Webservices service.
20. Verify if the vCenter Service Status screen shows green for the inventory service.

Additional Information

Note: This article applies only to vCenter Server 5.x and not to VCVA 5.x.

For information on backing up and restoring the ADAM database, see the Microsoft TechNet article Back up an ADAM instance to a file or a tape.

Note: The preceding link was correct as of December 05, 2011. If you find the link is broken, provide feedback and a VMware employee will update the link.

vCenter Service status reports red alerts and warnings after the vCenter Server FQDN is changed
vCenter Service Status page alerts: Unable to retrieve health status
[vCenter サービス ステータス] に次のエラーが報告される: http://old.hostname:10443/secure/health から健全性データを取得できません
vCenter 服务状态报告错误：无法检索运行状况数据 http://old.hostname:10443/secure/health