Domain repoint between vCenters fails with Uninstalling Platform Controller Services Failed. Repoint failed. Restore from backup

Products

• VMware vCenter Server

Issue/Introduction

• Error observed after failure of domain repoint:

All Repoint configuration settings are correct; proceed? [Y|y|N|n]: y

Starting License export                        ... Done
Export Service Data                            ... Done
Uninstalling Platform Controller Services      ... Failed
Repoint failed. Restore from backup

• Log entries in /var/log/vmware/cloudvm/cmsso-util.log:

YYYY-MM-DDTHH:MM:SS. ERROR cmsso_util Failed to run uninstall for /usr/lib/vmware-vmafd/firstboot/vmafd-firstboot.py, Exception: {
    "detail": [
        {
            "id": "install.ciscommon.command.errinvoke",
            "translatable": "An error occurred while invoking external command : '%(0)s'",
            "args": [
                "Stderr: YYYY-MM-DDTHH:MM:SS. Exception: Traceback (most recent call last):\n File \"/usr/lib/vmware-vmafd/firstboot/vmafd-firstboot.py\", line 207, in main\n controller.uninstall()\n File \"/usr/lib/vmware-vmafd/firstboot/vmafd-firstboot.py\", line 77, in uninstall\n service.uninstall()\n File \"/usr/lib/vmware-vmafd/firstboot/identityinstall/vmdirInstall.py\", line 447, in uninstall\n self.utils.stop_service(self.__VMDIR_SERVICE_NAME,
self.__VMDIR_COMPONENT_NAME)\n File \"/usr/lib/vmware-vmafd/firstboot/identityinstall/LinuxUtils.py\", line 175, in stop_service\n raise ServiceStopException(serviceName)\ncis.exceptions.ServiceStopException: {\n \"detail\": [\n {\n \"id\": \"install.ciscommon.service.failstop\",\n \"translatable\": \"An error occurred while stopping service '%(0)s'\",\n \"args\": [\n \"VMwareDirectoryService\"\n]
,\n \"localized\": \"An error occurred while stopping service 'VMwareDirectoryService'\"\n}\n],\n \"componentKey\": null,\n \"problemId\": null,\n \"resolution\": null\n}\n\n"
            ],
            "localized": "An error occurred while invoking external command : 'Stderr: YYYY-MM-DDTHH:MM:SS. Exception: Traceback (most recent call last):\n File \"/usr/lib/vmware-vmafd/firstboot/vmafd-firstboot.py\", line 207, in main\n controller.uninstall()\n File \"/usr/lib/vmware-vmafd/firstboot/vmafd-firstboot.py\", line 77, in uninstall\n service.uninstall()\n File \"/usr/lib/vmware-vmafd/firstboot/identityinstall/vmdirInstall.py\", line 447, in uninstall\n self.utils.stop_service(self.__VMDIR_SERVICE_NAME, self.__VMDIR_COMPONENT_NAME)\n File \"/usr/lib/vmware-vmafd/firstboot/identityinstall/LinuxUtils.py\", line 175, in stop_service\n raise ServiceStopException(serviceName)\ncis.exceptions.ServiceStopException: {\n \"detail\": [\n {\n \"id\": \"install.ciscommon.service.failstop\",\n \"translatable\": \"An error occurred while stopping service '%(0)s'\",\n \"args\": [\n \"VMwareDirectoryService\"\n],\n \"localized\": \"An error occurred while stopping service 'VMwareDirectoryService'\"\n}\n],\n \"componentKey\": null,\n \"problemId\": null,\n \"resolution\": null\n}\n\n'"
        }
    ],
    "componentKey": null,
    "problemId": null,
    "resolution": null
}
YYYY-MM-DDTHH:MM:SS. INFO cmsso_util ESC[91m FailedESC[0m
YYYY-MM-DDTHH:MM:SS. ERROR cmsso_util Failed to Uninstall PSC services

Environment

VMware vCenter Server 7.0.x

Cause

The issue is caused due to failure in vmcad uninstall step due to error in deleting the files in directory "/var/lib/vmware/vmca/" in 100 seconds time interval.

Resolution

• Note: Take offline snapshot on all the linked vCenters before proceeding with this step.

Manually delete the files in following directory - "/var/lib/vmware/vmca/"

1. 1. Stop vmcad service
      
      

      service-control --stop vmcad

      
      
      
   2. Remove the contents in vmca directory
      
      

      rm -rf /var/lib/vmware/vmca/*

      
      
      
   3. Trigger domain repoint operation again:
      
      

      cmsso-util domain-repoint -m execute --src-emb-admin Administrator --replication-partner-fqdn FQDN_of_destination_node --replication-partner-admin PSC_Admin_of_destination_node --dest-domain-name destination_PSC_domain