Active Directory account locks out due to repeated failed login attempts from VMware vCenter Server

Products

• VMware vCenter Server

Issue/Introduction

Symptoms:

• After changing the password of the vCenter Server Active Directory domain admin account, this account is locked out due to repeated failed log in attempts from the vCenter Server machine.
• After changing the password of the vRealize Operations (formerly known as vCenter Operations) Active Directory domain account, this account is locked out due to repeated failed log in attempts from the vCenter Server machine.
• vCenter Server is not configured to use this account to run the vpxd service or to connect its database.
• The Windows Security events records the failed audit under the process of vpxd.exe.
• This issue occurs when NetApp Virtual Storage Console is installed on the vCenter Server machine.
• In the vpxd.log file, you see entries similar to:
  
  [YYYY-MM-DDTHH:MM:SS] [07668 info '[SSO]' opID=67fb0c58] [UserDirectorySso] Authenticate(spiservice, "not shown")
  [YYYY-MM-DDTHH:MM:SS] [07668 error '[SSO]' opID=67fb0c58] [UserDirectorySso] AcquireToken InvalidCredentialsException: Authentication failed: Authentication failed
  [YYYY-MM-DDTHH:MM:SS] [07668 error 'authvpxdUser' opID=67fb0c58] Failed to authenticate user <spiservice>

Environment

VMware vCenter Server 5.0.x
VMware vCenter Server 4.1.x
VMware vCenter Server 4.0.x
VMware vCenter Server 5.5.x
VMware vCenter Server 6.0.x
VMware vCenter Operations Standard 1.0.x
VMware vCenter Server 5.1.x

Cause

This issue may occur if the Active Directory Domain Admin account password changes, but the credentials used are not updated.

Resolution

Note: To verify this issue, check the Tasks and Events tab of vCenter Server. The Tasks and Events tab reports log in failures and also the originating IP address.

 

• To update the NetApp Virtual Storage Console:
  
  The NetApp Virtual Storage Console credentials can be updated by accessing this URL on the vCenter Server:
  
  https://localhost:8143/Register.html
  
  Note: Register.html is case sensitive.
  
  
• To update the vRealize Operations appliance (VMware vCenter Operations Manager (vApp)), see Resetting the Administrator password in VMware vRealize Operations Manager appliance (2078313).
  
  
• To update HP Insight Control for VMware vCenter Server, see Removing Insight Control for vCenter in the HP Insight Control for VMware vCenter Server Installation Guide.
  
  Note: The preceding link was correct as of February 11, 2014. If you find the link is broken, provide feedback and a VMware employee will update the link.
  

Additional Information

Resetting the Administrator password in vRealize Operations Manager 5.x and 6.x