To resolve this issue, ensure you make these checks:
Verify the DSN
Ensure that the VMware VirtualCenter Server service can communicate with the remote Microsoft SQL server.
- In the Control Panel, navigate to Administrative Tools > Data Sources (ODBC) > System DSN.
- Select the vCenter Server DSN and click Configure.
- Verify the remote SQL server name, username, and default database.
- Test the connection to the SQL server.
- If it fails to connect, investigate the SQL user account used for this connection on the database server. For more information, see the Microsoft TechNet article Troubleshooting Server and Database Connection Problems.
Note:The preceding link was correct as of May 29, 2015. If you find the link is broken, provide feedback and a VMware employee will update the link.
Verify Log on As in Windows for VMware VirtualCenter Server service
Ensure that the VMware VirtualCenter Server service is running as Local System.
- Click Start > Run, type services.msc, and click OK. The Services Management Snap-in opens.
- Right-click VMware VirtualCenter Server service and click Properties.
- Click the Log On tab.
- Verify and ensure that the Local System account option is selected.
Verify the database username in the registry
In some cases, the username for the database must be manually entered.
Note: This procedure modifies the Windows registry. Before making any registry modifications, ensure that you have a current and valid backup of the registry and the virtual machine.
The preceding link was correct as of August 14, 2013. If you find the link is broken, provide feedback and a VMware employee will update the link.
To manually enter the username for the database:
- Take a backup of the Windows registry before proceeding.
- Click Start > Run, type regedit, and click OK. The Registry Editor window opens.
- Navigate to HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\VMware, Inc.\VMware Virtualcenter\DB.
- Edit Key 2 and enter the username in the value data field.
Reset the encrypted password found in the registry
Verify that the VMware VirtualCenter Server service can authenticate to the remote Microsoft SQL server.
- Open a command prompt as an administrator.
- Change to the vCenter Server directory by running the command:
cd "C:\Program Files\VMware\Infrastructure\VirtualCenter Server"
Where C:\ is the drive where vCenter Server is installed.
- Run the command:
vpxd.exe -p
- Enter the same password that you used while verifying the DSN connection.
- Start the VMware VirtualCenter Server service. For more information, see Stopping, starting, or restarting vCenter services (1003895).