[VMC on AWS] HCX Activation fails with the error "Failed calling remote endpoint, response: null"

Products

• VMware HCX
• VMware Cloud on AWS

Issue/Introduction

Symptoms:

HCX connector has to be activated during deployment, but it fails with the error below even though the HCX connectivity from the HCX connector to the HCX Activation Server "https://connect.hcx.vmware.com" works fine.

Error message :
Failed calling remote endpoint, response: null

 

Cause

This issue can occur if the HCX connector's time setting is incorrect.

Resolution

Login to the HCX connector with the admin user and verify the current time setting using the "date" command to see if the date is correct or not. Skip the activation process and configure the NTP server if the current time is incorrect.

NTP Settings can be modified in the appliance management UI (https://hcx-ip-or-fqdn:9443).
1. Navigate to the Administration tab.
2. Select Time Settings on the side menu, click Edit.
3. Enter the NTP server.
4. Navigate to the Appliance Summary tab in the management UI, locate the Appliance Management Service, and click Restart.

Workaround:
If you want to set the time manually, please use the command below.
1. Login to the HCX with admin user.
2. Switch the user with "su -" command.
3. Correct the current UTC setting with the command below.

# timedatectl set-time "YYYY-MM-DD HH:MM:SS"