Usage Meter 4.6 fails to collect vSAN usage data from vCenter Server below version 6.7 Update 3
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Usage Meter 4.6 fails to collect vSAN usage data from vCenter Server below version 6.7 Update 3

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Article ID: 322731

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Updated On:

Products

VMware

Issue/Introduction

When Usage Meter starts metering vSAN deployed on vCenter Server version before 6.7 U3, then it returns a partial collection error in the Notifications tab in the Usage Meter web application. 

The following error is also seen in the vCenter collector logs located at /opt/vmware/cloudusagemetering/var/logs/vccol_error.log/vccol_main.log  in the Usage Meter appliance:

2023-01-25 17:31:49.595 ERROR --- [vCenter collector thread] c.v.u.v.vsan.VsanServiceSession : Failed to query cluster domain-xx for CNS volumes. 2023-02-1507:23:12.167ERROR --- [vCenter collector thread] com.vmware.um.vccollector.VCCollector : VSAN stage raised exception com.sun.xml.ws.fault.ServerSOAPFaultException: Client received SOAP Fault from server: Unknown type (CnsVolumeManager) Please see the server log to find more detail regarding exact cause of the failure. 

As a result of this issue, the vSAN usage data for the given vCenter Server is not reported, and the vSAN units in the usage reports are incorrect. 

The reason this error occurs is that the CnsVolumeManager API does not exist in vCenter Server before version 6.7 Update 3. This API is used to detect if a vSAN cluster uses the Cloud Native Storage feature. 



Resolution

To be able to collect vSAN usage data, run the following vSAN collection script from Customer Connect at least once a month and raise a support request to our Global Services Support Team. The script needs to be run each month until you upgrade to a newer Usage Meter version.

If you are using a read-only user with which Usage Meter to connect to the vCenter Server with deployed vSAN, you will need to add the Profile-Driven Storage and CNS Searchable roles to that user. These roles are needed by Usage Meter to query vSAN usage data. Information on how to add them, you can find here .

To collect usage data from your vSAN clusters, do the following:

 Prerequisites:

  • Make sure that your Usage Meter connects to the vCenter Server
  • If your Usage Meter connects to the vCenter Server with a read-only user, you will need to add the Profile-Driven Storage and CNS Searchable roles to this user.

Procedure:

  1. In vSphere, launch the Usage Meter console and log in as root.
  1. Enable ssh connection to the appliance. 
systemctl enable sshd
  1. Start the sshd service.
systemctl start sshd
  1. From the local machine where the script is downloaded, copy the script to the Usage Meter appliance.

scp <source-file-path> usagemeter@<um-ip-address>:<destination-directory> 
  1. Enter the usagemeter password.
  2. Connect remotely to the Usage Meter appliance as usagemeter.
ssh usagemeter@<um-ip-address>
  1. Enter the usagemeter password. 

  1. Go to the directory where the script was copied to, e.g. /home/usagemeter/. 

cd /home/usagemeter 
  1. Run the script from the directory where the script is located.

python3 collect_vsan_usage.py 
  1. When prompted, enter the following details of the vCenter Server on which vSAN is deployed: 

  • The vCenter Server IP address 

  • The vCenter Server ID is taken from the Product ID column in the Usage Meter web application, e.g., ‘21’. 

  • Username and password of the user with which Usage Meter will connect to the vCenter Server. 

  1. After the script is executed, the collected vSAN usage data will be written in the following file Collection_vsan_meter.json stored in the same location as the vSAN collection script. 
  2. Exit the remote connection to Usage Meter.
exit
  1. On the local machine, copy the vSAN usage file from the remote Usage Meter appliance to a local directory.
scp usagemeter@<um-ip-address>:/source-file-path/ /local-destination-directory/
  1. Enter the usagemeter password.
  2. Attach the file to a support request to our Global Services Support Team. How to file a support request, you can find it here. Our support team will generate a vSAN usage report for you. 
  3. In vSphere, launch the Usage Meter console and log in as root.
  4. Stop the sshd service.
systemctl stop sshd
  1. After the reporting month completes and receiving your vSAN usage reports from our Global Services Support team, enter manually the vSAN usage data in your Monthly Billing Order (MBO) in the Commerce Portal. Learn how to edit your MBO here

Additional Information

Information on all known vSAN issues can be found in the vCloud Usage Meter 4.6 Release Notes