Adding a VMware ESXi/ESX host to VMware vCenter Server fails
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Adding a VMware ESXi/ESX host to VMware vCenter Server fails

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Article ID: 341384

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Updated On:

Products

VMware vCenter Server VMware vSphere ESXi

Issue/Introduction

Symptoms:
  • Cannot connect or reconnect the ESX\ESXi host to vCenter Server.
  • Adding an ESX\ESXi host to vCenter Server fails with the error:

    Cannot contact the specified host hostname\IP. The host may not be available on the network, a network configuration problem may exist, or the management services on this host may not be responding.

  • After upgrading vCenter Server, a host does not reconnect to vCenter Server.
  • see the error similar to:

    • Unable to access the specified host. It either does not exist, the server software is not responding, or there is a network problem.
    • Unable to add host to vCenter.
  • In the /var/run/log/vpxa.log file, entries look similar to:

    'App' 7338928 error] [VpxaHalCnxHostagent] Failed to discover namespace: Success
    'App' 7338928 warning] [VpxaHalCnxHostagent] Could not resolve namespace for authenticating to host agent
    'App' 4283312 verbose] [SchedulePolling] Last stats polling used [0] ms
    'App' 3076461728 verbose] [VpxaHalCnxHostagent] Creating temporary connect spec: localhost:443
    'App' 3076461728 error] [VpxaHalCnxHostagent] Failed to discover namespace: Success
    'App' 3076461728 warning] [VpxaHalCnxHostagent] Could not resolve namespace for authenticating to host agent
    'App' 5815216 verbose] [SchedulePolling] Last stats polling used [0] ms
    'App' 4017072 verbose] [VpxaHalCnxHostagent] Creating temporary connect spec: localhost:443

  • In the /var/run/log/hostd.log file, entries look similar to:

    • F66C36D0 panic 'App'] error: Invalid argument : No IP addresses found for addr='localhost', port=12001 : (0) 'Unknown error'
      F66C36D0 panic 'App'] backtrace:
      [00] eip 0xf7d21965
      [01] eip 0xf7c0e5c0
    • <YYYY-MM-DD>T<time>Z [FF8B5D20 info 'Solo'] webServer/port: 8309
      *** In-memory logs end ***
      error: N7Vmacore24InvalidArgumentExceptionE(Invalid argument : No IP addresses found for addr='localhost', port=8309 : (0) 'Unknown error')
      backtrace:
      backtrace[00] rip 16cff6e3 Vmacore::System::Stacktrace::CaptureWork(unsigned int)
      backtrace[01] rip 16b24268 Vmacore::System::SystemFactoryImpl::CreateQuickBacktrace(Vmacore::Ref<Vmacore::System::Backtrace>&)
      backtrace[02] rip 16ac2c95 Vmacore::Throwable::Throwable(std::string const&)
      backtrace[03] rip 16cc2b61 Vmacore::System::TCPServerSocketPosix::BindAndListen(std::string const&, int)
      backtrace[04] rip 050c4558 hostd [0x50c4558]
      backtrace[05] rip 050c87f0 hostd [0x50c87f0]
      backtrace[06] rip 050cbde6 hostd [0x50cbde6]
      backtrace[07] rip 16ae141b Vmacore::Service::AppImpl::StartPlugins()
      backtrace[08] rip 16adfd3f Vmacore::Service::InitApp(Vmacore::Service::Config*)
      backtrace[09] rip 05d4fe33 hostd [0x5d4fe33]
      backtrace[10] rip 05d45a28 hostd [0x5d45a28]
      backtrace[11] rip 05d53e52 hostd [0x5d53e52]
      backtrace[12] rip 1c886efc /lib/libc.so.6(__libc_start_main+0xdc) [0x1c886efc]
      backtrace[13] rip 050c4141 hostd [0x50c4141]</time>

Note: The preceding log excerpts are only examples. 

Environment

  • VMware vSphere ESXi 6.X
  • VMware vSphere ESXi 7.X
  • VMware vSphere ESXi 8.X

Cause

Resolution

 
Confirm port 902 is open between vCenter and ESXi by running the following commands to test: 
  • From vCenter to ESXi host:
      • nc -zv <host_ip> 902

         Successful output of the command will be as follows:

      • root@vcsa02 [ ~ ]# nc -zv host_fqdn/ip 902 
        host_fqdn [Host_ip] 902 (ideafarm-door) open -> Output of the command
    • (OR )run the following command:
      • curl -v telnet://hostd_fqdn/IP:902
        • root@vcsa02 [ ~ ]# curl -v telnet://host_fqdn/ip:902
          * Trying host_ip:902...
          * Connected to host_fqdn (host_ip) port 902 (#0)
          220 VMware Authentication Daemon Version 1.10: SSL Required, ServerDaemonProtocol:SOAP, MKSDisplayProtocol:VNC , VMXARGS supported, NFCSSL supported/t, SHA256 supported

 

  • From ESXi to the vCenter:
      • nc -zu <vc_ip/fqdn> 902
      • Successful output of the following:
        • [root@esxi07:~] nc -zu vc_fqdn/ip 902
          Connection to vc_fqdn/ip 902 port [udp/*] succeeded!

 

Restart the Management agents on the  ESXi/ESX Server and add the host to vCenter Server. Restarting the Management agents on an ESX Server (1003490).