Software component provisioning fails with "Error writing to appd.properties" when using vRealize Automation 7.4

Products

• VMware Aria Suite

Issue/Introduction

Symptoms:
When attempting to provision a Windows guest operating system using a blueprint from vRealize Automation 7.4 with a Software component, failures and symptoms include:

• The provisioning request appears stuck within the "MachineProvisioned" lifecycle located under: Infrastructure > Monitoring > Audit Log
• Similar messages are seen in the GuestAgent.log: Wait for completion of '10_installsoftware.bat'
• Provisioning request fails with: Error writing properties to C:\opt\vmware-appdirector\agent\appd.properties_<datetime>

​Example: appd.properties_6/-01-_ 830_18,59

• The following component requests failed:

<componentname>. Request failed: Machine <machinename>: InstallSoftwareWorkflow. Install software work item timeout.

Environment

VMware vRealize Automation 7.6.x
VMware vRealize Automation 7.4.x
VMware vRealize Automation 7.5.x

Cause

A race condition exists requiring a uniquely named appd.properties that occurs when:

• Writing of the appd.properties file
• The file being detected and read by agent bootstrap service.

To prevent this, a unique appd.properties file is created using the date/time stamp.  Post creation, it is renamed to appd.properties.  The uniquely named appd.properties file is generated based upon date/time and local settings of the guest operating system as seen here: 

set APPD_PROPERTIES_INPUT=%APPD_AGENT_DIRECTORY%\appd.properties_%date:~4,2%-%date:~7,2%-%date:~10,4%%time:~0,2%%time:~3,2%%time:~6,5%

Resolution

This issue is resolved in vRealize Automation versions 7.2 and later.

Workaround:
To work around this issue you can follow these instructions:

Modify the Date/Time stamp generation logic within vcac-appd-gc.bat

Isolate the problematic template within vCenter:

• Power on the template virtual machine after converting to virtual machine or power on the virtual machine snapshot:
  • Edit the file c:/opt/vmware-appdirector/agent-bootstrap/vcac-appd-gc.bat in a file editor of your choice:
    • Identify the following line:

set APPD_PROPERTIES_INPUT=%APPD_AGENT_DIRECTORY%\appd.properties_%date:~4,2%-%date:~7,2%-%date:~10,4%%time:~0,2%%time:~3,2%%time:~6,5%

• Replace the above line with the following logic:
  • set APPD_PROPERTIES_INPUT=%APPD_AGENT_DIRECTORY%\appd.properties_%random%
  • Save the file and close.
• Power off the template and convert it, or power off the VM and take a snapshot.