VMware vCenter Server 5.x and 6.0 does not function correctly when Windows Oracle Client 12.1.0.1, 11.2.0.3 p14543814 (Patch 10), or prior to 11.2.0.3 p16656151 (Patch 19) is in use

Products

• VMware vCenter Server

Issue/Introduction

Symptoms:

• VMware vCenter Server 5.x and 6.0 do not function correctly when the Windows Oracle Client versions, 11.2.0.3.10 to 11.2.0.3.18, 12.1.0.1, 12.1.0.1.0, and 12.1.0.1.11 are present on vCenter Server or its database server.
  
  Note: This issue does not occur on Oracle Client 11.2.0.4 and 12.1.0.2
  
  
• Creating a virtual machine fails.
• When creating a new virtual machine on vCenter Server 5.x, you see the error:
  
  An internal error occurred in the vSphere Client.
  Details: Object reference not set to an instance of an object.
  
  
• You cannot edit, power on, nor migrate existing virtual machines.
• Attempting to edit, power on, or migrate existing virtual machines fails.
• Running this query displays the same DBMS_LOB.GETLENGTH(DATA) value across multiple vmx-## for the same HOST_ID:

select host_id, config_option_ver, dbms_lob.getlength(data) from vpx_host_vm_config_option

From an affected database, you see output similar to:

SQL> select host_id, config_option_ver, dbms_lob.getlength(data) from vpx_host_vm_config_option;

AFTER DELETED HOST ADDED BACK:

HOST_ID CONFIG_OPTION_VER DBMS_LOB.GETLENGTH(DATA)

---------- -------------------- ------------------------

38 vmx-03 386901

38 vmx-04 386901

38 vmx-07 386901

38 vmx-08 386901

Environment

VMware vCenter Server 5.5.x
VMware vCenter Server 5.0.x
VMware vCenter Server 6.0.x
VMware vCenter Server 5.1.x

Resolution

This issue is resolved in Windows Oracle Client 11.2.0.3 p16656151 (Patch 19) or later, 11.2.0.4, 12.1.0.1.12 or later, or, 12.1.0.2. You can download the latest version from the Oracle site.

Note: Upgrading to Oracle Client does not resolve corrupted entries that already exist.

To resolve this issue:

1. Verify and upgrade the Windows Oracle Client on your vCenter Server and\or the vCenter Server database server.
2. Remove the affected host from the vCenter Server inventory.
3. Add the affected host back into the vCenter Server inventory.
   
   Note: Oracle 11g and 12c are deprecated for vCenter Server Appliance 6.0. For more information, see VMware vSphere 6.0 Release Notes.

If the preceding steps do not resolve the issue there may be corruption in the database. To resolve this issue the vCenter Server must be reinstalled with a new or initialized vCenter Server database. For more information on initializing the vCenter Server database, see Reinitializing the vCenter Server database (2031295).

Additional Information

For more information on verifying the interoperability of your specific product, see the VMware Product Interoperability Matrix.

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Reinitializing the vCenter Server database
Windows Oracle Client 11.2.0.3 p14543814（パッチ 10）以降でインストールすると、VMware vCenter Server 5.x が正しく機能しない