VMware Cloud Foundation Deploys vRealize Automation Proxy Agents with Different Names

Products

• VMware Cloud Foundation

Issue/Introduction

Symptoms:

• vRealize Automation was deployed using the SDDC Manager.
• The VMware Cloud Foundation workload domains were added to vRealize Automation using the SDDC Manager.
• Inventory data collection for a vSphere endpoint in vRealize Automation has intermittent failures, which can delay the appearance of new resources.
• Provisioning new workloads using vRealize Automation fails intermittently.

Environment

VMware Cloud Foundation 2.3.x

Cause

In order to accommodate the vSphere endpoint for a workload domain, VMware Cloud Foundation will install two vRealize Automation Proxy Agents for vSphere, but will provide different names to each agent. This configuration can cause intermittent issues with both data collection and deployment of new workloads.

Resolution

This is a known issue affecting VMware Cloud Foundation. There is currently no resolution, but will be addressed in a future version of VMware Cloud Foundation.

Workaround:
In order to correct existing installations, complete the following steps to install a second agent with the appropriate configuration:

1. Of the two existing vRealize Automation Proxy Agents, select one to retain.
2. Connect to the server hosting the agent either using a console session or terminal services.
3. Confirm and record the agent name, the Manager Server FQDN, and the Model Manager Web Server FQDN:
   1. Open the following configuration file: %SystemDrive%\Program Files (x86)\VMware\vCAC\Agents\<agent name>\VRMAgent.exe.config
   2. Record the agentName parameter in the serviceConfiguration tag, as in the following example that has an agentName of vCenter:
       
      <serviceConfiguration workitemTimerInterval="00:00:15" agentName="vCenter"...
       
   3. Determine and record the Manager Server FQDN from the vrmUrl parameter in the serviceConfiguration tag.
   4. Determine and record the Model Manager Web Server FQDN (a.k.a, the repository FQDN) from the repositoryAddress key in the appSettings section, similar to the following example that is using iaasw.corp.local:
       
              <appSettings>
                  <add key="repositoryAddress" value="https://iaasw.corp.local:443/repository/" />
                  ...
          </appSettings>
4. Confirm and record the endpoint name:
   1. Open a command prompt.
   2. Navigate to the following directory: %SystemDrive%\Program Files (x86)\VMware\vCAC\Agents\<agent name>\
   3. Run the following command: DynamicOps.Vrm.VRMencrypt.exe VRMAgent.exe.config get
   4. Record the value for the managementEndpointName parameter.
5. Connect to the server hosting the secondary agent either using a console session or terminal services.
6. Disable the agent service (VMware vCloud Automation Center Agent - <agent name>) or uninstall the agent.
7. Using the information collected above install a new vRealize Automation Proxy Agent for vSphere:
    
   Install the vSphere Agent
   
   Please note, the agent name should be identical to the name collected.

Additional Information

For more information regarding the requirements for redundant vRealize Automation vSphere Proxy Agents, please refer to the following documentation:

• vRA 7.3: Install the vSphere Agent
• vRA 7.4: Install the vSphere Agent