"None is not a valid string in this context" Error during Export of VMware vCenter Server Database

Products

• VMware vCenter Server

Issue/Introduction

This article resolves the Error: None is not a valid string in this context error.

Symptoms:

• You see the error:

Internal error occurs during Export of VMware vCenter Server Database 

• In the export.json file, you see:

{
    "status": "error",
    "start_time": "2019-06-19T09:34:24.671Z",
    "question": null,
    "info": [],
    "warning": [],
    "progress_message": {
        "args": [
            "VMware vCenter Server Database"
        ],
        "id": "ur.upgrade.script.export.progress.text",
        "localized": "Exporting VMware vCenter Server Database data...",
        "translatable": "Exporting %(0)s data..."
    },
    "error": {
        "problemId": null,
        "resolution": {
            "id": "ur.internal.resolution",
            "localized": "Please search for these symptoms in the VMware Knowledge Base for any known issues and possible resolutions. If none can be found, collect a support bundle and open a support request.",
            "translatable": "Please search for these symptoms in the VMware Knowledge Base for any known issues and possible resolutions. If none can be found, collect a support bundle and open a support request."
        },
        "componentKey": "upgrade_framework",
        "detail": [
            {
                "args": [
                    "Export",
                    "VMware vCenter Server Database"
                ],
                "id": "ur.upgrade.script.internal.text",
                "localized": "Internal error occurs during Export of VMware vCenter Server Database.",
                "translatable": "Internal error occurs during %(0)s of %(1)s."

      

• In the Export_com.vmware.vcdb_XXXX_XX_XX.log file, you see: 

2019-06-19T15:24:32.384Z INFO win_executor Running command ['C:\\Program Files\\VMware\\vCenter Server\\python\\python.exe', 'C:\\migB811.tmp\\PFiles\\VMware\\CIS\\cis_upgrade_runner\\payload\\component-scripts\\vcdb\\ms2pg\\jobs_util.py', '--action', 'd', '-dsn', 'VMware VirtualCenter', '-u', 'execsg\\administrator', '-p',CENSORED, '-r', 'mssql'] as user None@None
2019-06-19T15:24:32.394Z ERROR __main__ Upgrade Phase 'vcdb:Export' failed. Exception: None is not a valid string in this context
Traceback (most recent call last):

  File "C:\migB811.tmp\PFiles\VMware\CIS\cis_upgrade_runner\payload\component-scripts\vcdb\vcdb_export_windows_functions.py", line 395, in do_windows_export
    do_windows_export_external_db(context, source_ver, migrate_set)
  File "C:\migB811.tmp\PFiles\VMware\CIS\cis_upgrade_runner\payload\component-scripts\vcdb\vcdb_export_windows_functions.py", line 190, in do_windows_export_external_db
    ret = disable_jobs(**kwargs)
  
TypeError: None is not a valid string in this context

Environment

VMware vCenter Server 6.5.x
VMware vCenter Server Appliance 6.5.x

Cause

This error occurs due to missing permission on the Microsoft SQL database.

Resolution

To resolve this issue:

• Use SQL authentication instead of Windows authentication
• Create a new SQL user in DB and give necessary permission. For more information check: SQL database permission
• Once the services are started, re-initiate the upgrade process.