Install & upgrade failures of VMware Aria Automation when using Windows Server 2012 Domain Controllers

Products

• VMware Aria Suite

Issue/Introduction

Symptoms:

• The installation request fails in Aria Suite Lifecycle with message:

Error Code: LCMVRAVACONFIG590004
First boot check failed on VMware Aria Automation. Check if all the network details provided are valid.
VMware Aria Automation VA deployment failed at first boot check on host name vra-test.rainpole.com. If first boot check failed due to NTP setting, ensure provided NTP server(s) - are valid. If invalid, retry the task with valid NTP server(s) in the retry parameter 'ntp' by setting 'deleteAlreadyCreatedVM' to 'true'. To configure more than one NTP server, provide comma(,) separated values for 'ntp'.

• The /var/log/bootstrap/firstboot.log contains errors similar to

Running check single-aptr
make: *** [/opt/health/Makefile:38: single-aptr] Error 1
make: Target 'firstboot' not remade because of errors.
Running check eth0-ip

Running check non-default-hostname

Running check single-aptr
make: *** [/opt/health/Makefile:38: single-aptr] Error 1
make: Target 'firstboot' not remade because of errors.
2023-07-19 21:43:32Z Script /etc/bootstrap/firstboot.d/02-setup-kubernetes failed, error status 124

Environment

VMware vRealize Automation 8.x

Cause

The error can occur on Windows Server 2012 Domain controllers with EDNS enabled or if there are duplicate DNS records for the Aria automation appliances.

As part of installation & upgrades Aria Automation calls a health script located under /opt/health/Makefile.The relevant check for hostname resolution contained in this script is as follows:

single-aptr: eth0-ip
        $(begin_check)
        echo Check the ip address if eth0 resolves only to a single hostname
        [ 1 -eq $$(/usr/bin/dig +noall +answer +noedns -x $$( iface-ip eth0 ) |  grep "PTR" | wc -l ) ]
        $(end_check)

This health check will fail if it does not receive the expected response from the DNS server:

The command /usr/bin/dig +noall +answer +noedns -x <Aria automation IpAddress> should return a single PTR record as per below:

 

 

Resolution

To resolve the issue ensure that there are only single valid forward and reverse lookup entries configured in DNS for the Aria Automation appliances. On older Windows Server 2012 Domain controllers either upgrading or disabling EDNS has allowed the installation to proceed. Before considering this change please contact Microsoft support to understand the full implications.