OVA or OVF deployment fail with error: "Invalid value 'false' specified for property mgr_isSSHEnabled."

Products

• VMware vSphere ESX 6.x

Issue/Introduction

Symptoms:

• This is observed if the ESXi host is specifically selected while trying to deploy the OVA through the vCenter Server
• The following error is seen in the vCenter Server UI:
  • Invalid value 'false' specified for property mgr_isSSHEnabled. 
  • 
• From the vpxd logs, you will see lines similar to:
  • 

Cause

• This issue is experiences when the ESXi Host is attached to a vDS. That causes the deployment to keep stuck at validating stage.
• 

Resolution

Workaround:

1. Create a Standard vSwitch.
2. Create an empty port group on this switch with/without any uplink.
3. Initiate OVA deployment
4. Point the network to use the standard vSwitch and complete the deployment

Note: In case the deployment from vCenter using the standard vSwitch fails, try the same procedure from the host client (https://<ESXi_Host_FQDN/IP>).