The vsphere-client service fails to start after cleaning the web client cache.

Products

• VMware

Issue/Introduction

Symptoms:

• vsphere-client service fails to start after cleaning the web client cache
• When cleaning the vCenter 6.5.x web client cache and specific files. For example vcHms for vSphere Replication or vcDr for Site Recovery Manager.  The web client service may loose some dependencies from these locations.

/etc/vmware/vsphere-client/vc-packages/vsphere-client-serenity/
/storage/vsphere-client/SerenityDB/serenity/
/usr/lib/vmware-vsphere-client/server/work/
/etc/vmware/vsphere-client/cmCatalog/
/usr/lib/vmware-vsphere-client/server/pickup/

On starting the vsphere-client service, it will fail.
 

/usr/lib/vmware-vsphere-client/server ]# service-control --start vsphere-client
Perform start operation. vmon_profile=None, svc_names=['vsphere-client'], include_coreossvcs=False, include_leafossvcs=False
2019-04-12T13:32:11.481Z   Service vsphere-client state STOPPED
Error executing start on service vsphere-client. Details {
    "resolution": null,
    "detail": [
        {
            "args": [
                "vsphere-client"
            ],
            "id": "install.ciscommon.service.failstart",
            "localized": "An error occurred while starting service 'vsphere-client'",
            "translatable": "An error occurred while starting service '%(0)s'"
        }
    ],
    "componentKey": null,
    "problemId": null
}
Service-control failed. Error {

 

The vCenter virgo logs may report.

/var/log/vmware/vsphere-client/logs

[2019-04-12T14:09:44.851Z] [ERROR] kernel-dm-6                   o.e.g.b.e.i.d.startup.DependencyWaiterApplicationContextExecutor  Unable to create application context for [org.eclipse.virg
o.kernel.deployer], unsatisfied dependencies: none org.springframework.beans.factory.BeanCreationException: Error creating bean with name 'hotDeployer' defined in URL [bundleentry://30.fwk1
342567501/META-INF/spring/deployer-hot-context.xml]: Instantiation of bean failed; nested exception is org.springframework.beans.BeanInstantiationException: Could not instantiate bean class [org.eclipse.virgo.kernel.deployer.hotenabler.HotDeployerEnabler]: Constructor threw exception; nested exception is org.eclipse.virgo.util.io.FatalIOException: listFiles(FilenameFilter) failed for file /usr/lib/vmware-vsphere-client/server/pickup

Cause

This is caused due to missing dependencies after cleaning the web client cache for vCenter.  These will be reported in the vCenter virgo logs. 

/var/log/vmware/vsphere-client/logs

Resolution

To solve the issue:

1. Rename the folder that is referenced, as missing dependencies in vCenter virgo logs.
 

mv /usr/lib/vmware-virgo/server/pickup /usr/lib/vmware-virgo/server/pickup.bkp

2. Start the vsphere client service.
 

service-control --start vsphere-client

Additional Information

Impact/Risks:
Take a non memory, non quiesced snapshot on the vCenter, before implementing any change or when cleaning the web client cache.