Updating vCenter to 7.0 U3 or higher fails when trying to start the vmware-eam service

Products

• VMware vCenter Server

Issue/Introduction

Symptoms:
Attempting to update a vCenter 7.0 server to 7.0 U3 or higher fails.

Updating through the VAMI fails with the message "Exception occurred in postInstallHook"

The /var/log/vmware/applmgmt/PatchRunner.log file shows messages similar to the following:

YYYY-MM-DDTHH:MM:SS ERROR vmware_b2b.patching.phases.patcher Patch hook Patch got unhandled exception.
Traceback (most recent call last):
  File "/storage/updatemgr/software-updateyon2ybxo/stage/scripts/patches/py/vmware_b2b/patching/phases/patcher.py", line 203, in patch
    _patchComponents(ctx, userData, statusAggregator.reportingQueue)
  File "/storage/updatemgr/software-updateyon2ybxo/stage/scripts/patches/py/vmware_b2b/patching/phases/patcher.py", line 84, in _patchComponents
    _startDependentServices(c)
  File "/storage/updatemgr/software-updateyon2ybxo/stage/scripts/patches/py/vmware_b2b/patching/phases/patcher.py", line 53, in _startDependentServices
    serviceManager.start(depService)
  File "/storage/updatemgr/software-updateyon2ybxo/stage/scripts/patches/libs/sdk/service_manager.py", line 901, in wrapper
    return getattr(controller, attr)(*args, **kwargs)
  File "/storage/updatemgr/software-updateyon2ybxo/stage/scripts/patches/libs/sdk/service_manager.py", line 794, in start
    super(VMwareServiceController, self).start(serviceName)
  File "/storage/updatemgr/software-updateyon2ybxo/stage/scripts/patches/libs/sdk/service_manager.py", line 665, in start
    raise IllegalServiceOperation(errorText)
service_manager.IllegalServiceOperation: Service cannot be started. Error: Error executing start on service eam. Details {
    "detail": [
        {
            "id": "install.ciscommon.service.failstart",
            "translatable": "An error occurred while starting service '%(0)s'",
            "args": [
                "eam"
            ],
            "localized": "An error occurred while starting service 'eam'"
        }
    ],
    "componentKey": null,
    "problemId": null,
    "resolution": null
}

The /var/log/vmware/eam/web/catalina.log shows messages similar to the following:

YYYY-MM-DDTHH:MM:SS | ERROR | localhost-startStop-1 | ContextLoader.java | 350 | Context initialization failed
org.springframework.beans.factory.BeanCreationException: Error creating bean with name 'esxAgentMgr' defined in class path resource [eam-server-beans.xml]: Cannot resolve reference to bean
'eamPatcher' while setting constructor argument; nested exception is org.springframework.beans.factory.BeanCreationException: Error creating bean with name 'eamPatcher' defined in class pat
h resource [eam-server-beans.xml]: Cannot resolve reference to bean 'patchConfigFile' while setting constructor argument; nested exception is org.springframework.beans.factory.BeanCreationE
xception: Error creating bean with name 'patchConfigFile' defined in class path resource [eam-server-beans.xml]: Bean instantiation via constructor failed; nested exception is org.springfra
mework.beans.BeanInstantiationException: Failed to instantiate [com.vmware.eam.upgrade.infra.impl.PatchConfigFile]: Constructor threw exception; nested exception is com.vmware.eam.EamIOExce
ption: Cannot get input stream of runtime.modification

Environment

VMware vCenter Server 7.0.0

Cause

This can happen due to modification of the /etc/profile.d/umask.sh file to the following contents:

# By default, the umask should be set.
if [ "$(id -gn)" = "$(id -un)" -a $EUID -gt 99 ] ; then
  umask 002
else
  umask 027
fi

This may be done as part of the Security Technical Implementation Guide (STIG) published by the Defense Information Systems Agency (DISA). Specifically, Vulnerability ID V-239153 requires the modification of the this file.

Resolution

To resolve this issue, revert to a snapshot/backup and ensure the /etc/profile.d/umask.sh file's contents are reverted to the default configuration, and re-attempt the upgrade.

The issue is resolved in vCenter Server 7.0 Update 3f

Workaround: