An error occurred while starting service 'invsvc'"Verify that the SQL Server Browser Service is running on the host" while Installing vCenter Server 6.x using a Microsoft SQL database

Products

• VMware vCenter Server

Issue/Introduction

Symptoms:

• When installing vCenter Server 6.x with a Microsoft SQL database, the install fails with the error:

  
  An error occurred while starting service 'invsvc'
  
  or
  
  installation of component VCSServiceManager Failed with error code 1603.

• The install_directory:\ProgramData\vmware\vCenterServer\logs\invsvc\inv-svc.log file contains entries similar to:
  
  <YYYY-MM-DD>T<time>+01:00 [WrapperListener_start_runner ERROR com.vmware.vim.query.server.kvlocal.impl.provider.VCDBProviderFactory opId=] SQL Error:
  org.apache.commons.dbcp.SQLNestedException: Cannot create PoolableConnectionFactory (The connection to the host vCenter, named instance SQLSERVER failed. Error: "java.net.SocketTimeoutException: Receive timed out". Verify the server and instance names and check that no firewall is blocking UDP traffic to port 1434. For SQL Server 2005 or later, verify that the SQL Server Browser Service is running on the host.)
  at org.apache.commons.dbcp.BasicDataSource.createPoolableConnectionFactory(BasicDataSource.java:1549)
  at org.apache.commons.dbcp.BasicDataSource.createDataSource(BasicDataSource.java:1388)</time>
   
• In the ProgramData/VMware/vCenterServer/logs/vpxd-svcs/vpxd-svcs.log you see entries similar to:
   
  Caused by: org.apache.commons.dbcp.SQLNestedException: Cannot create PoolableConnectionFactory (The connection to the host localhost, named instance SQLEXPRESS failed. Error: "java.net.SocketTimeoutException: Receive timed out". Verify the server and instance names and check that no firewall is blocking UDP traffic to port 1434. For SQL Server 2005 or later, verify that the SQL Server Browser Service is running on the host.)
  at org.apache.commons.dbcp.BasicDataSource.createPoolableConnectionFactory(BasicDataSource.java:1549)
  at org.apache.commons.dbcp.BasicDataSource.createDataSource(BasicDataSource.java:1388)
  at org.apache.commons.dbcp.BasicDataSource.getConnection(BasicDataSource.java:1044)
  at com.vmware.cis.core.kv.impl.Provider.VCDBProviderFactory.getConnection(VCDBProviderFactory.java:120)
  
  Note: The preceding log excerpts are only examples. Date, time, and environmental variables may vary depending on your environment.

Environment

VMware vCenter Server 6.0.x
VMware vCenter Server 6.5.x

Cause

The issue ocurs when SQL Server Browser Service is stopped.

Resolution

To resolve the issue, start the SQL Server Browser Service and perform the install again.

 

Notes:

• The SQL Server Browser Service is set to disabled by default.
• This issue is also seen when there is an anti-virus program running on the vCenter Server during installation.