Stopping, Starting or Restarting VMware vCenter Server Appliance 6.x & above services

Products

• VMware vCenter Server

Issue/Introduction

This article provides step to stop, start or restart vCenter Server Appliance services.

 

For troubleshooting and maintenance purposes, it may be necessary to change the status of VMware vCenter Server Appliance services, such as VMware Virtual Center Server, VMware vSphere Web Client, or VMware Directory Service.

Environment

VMware vCenter Server Appliance 5.0
VMware vCenter Server Appliance 6.7.x
VMware vCenter Server 8.0.x
VMware vCenter Server Appliance 6.0.x
VMware vCenter Server 8.0
VMware vCenter Server 7.0.x

Resolution

In VMware vCenter Server 6.0 and later, VMware recommends to use the vSphere Web Client or Service Control command-line tool to stop, start, or restart vCenter Server Appliance services. This process is different from previous versions of the vCenter Server Appliance.

Process to List, Stop, Start and Restart vCenter Server Appliance services:

Listing the vCenter Server Appliance services

To list the vCenter Server Appliance services within the vSphere Web Client:

1. Log in to the vSphere Web Client with a vCenter Single Sign-on administrator account.
2. Navigate to Administration > Deployment > System Configuration.
3. Click Nodes, select the vCenter Server Appliance node and click the Related Objects tab.

To list the vCenter Server Appliance services using the command-line:

1. Log in as root through an SSH or console session on the vCenter Server Appliance.
2. Run this command to enable the shell (Note: This command is applicable only for vCenter Server Appliance 6.0):
   
   shell.set --enabled true
    
3. Run this command to launch the shell (Note: This command is applicable if you are in Appliance shell) :
   
   shell
    
4. Run this to change directories to /bin:
   
   cd /bin
    
5. Run this command to list the vCenter Server Appliance services:
   
   service-control --list
    
6. To view the current status of the vCenter Server Appliance services, type the command:
   
   service-control --status
    

Starting the vCenter Server Appliance services

To start the vCenter Server Appliance service if it is was stopped using the vSphere Web Client:

1. Log in to the vSphere Web Client with a vCenter Single Sign-on administrator account.
2. Navigate to Administration > Deployment > System Configuration.
3. Click Nodes, select the vCenter Server Appliance node and click the Related Objects tab.
4. Right-click on the service you would like to start and select Start.

To start the vCenter Server Appliance service if it is was stopped using the command-line:

1. Log in as root through an SSH or console session on the vCenter Server Appliance.
2. Run this command to enable the shell (Note: This command is applicable only for vCenter Server Appliance 6.0):
   
   shell.set --enabled true
3. Run this command to launch the shell (Note: This command is applicable if you are in Appliance shell):
   
   shell
4. Run this command to change directories to /bin:
   
   cd /bin
    
5. Run this command to list the vCenter Server Appliance services:
   
   service-control --list
    
6. Run this command to start a specific service:
   
   service-control --start servicename
    
7. You may also start all services by typing the command:
   
   service-control --start --all
    
8. To perform a dry run of the command, add the option --dry-run to the command. This will display what actions the command will run without executing the actions. For example, type the command:

Note: This step is valid for vCSA 6.0 only.

service-control --start --all --dry-run

Stopping the vCenter Server Appliance services

To stop a vCenter Server Appliance service if it was started using the vSphere Web Client:

1. Log in to the vSphere Web Client with a vCenter Single Sign-on administrator account.
2. Navigate to Administration > Deployment > System Configuration.
3. Click Nodes, select the vCenter Server Appliance node and click the Related Objects tab.
4. Right-click on the service you would like to stop and select Stop.

To stop the vCenter Server Appliance service if it is was started using the command-line:

1. Log in as root through an SSH or console session on the vCenter Server Appliance.
2. Run this command to enable the shell (Note: This command is applicable only for vCenter Server Appliance 6.0):
   
   shell.set --enabled true
3. Run this command to launch the shell (Note: This command is applicable if you are in Appliance shell):
   
   shell
4. Run this command to change directories to /bin:
   
   cd /bin
    
5. Run this command to list the vCenter Server Appliance services:
   
   service-control --list
    
6. Run this command to stop a specific service:
   
   service-control --stop servicename
    
7. You may also stop all services by typing the command:
   
   service-control --stop --all
    
8. To perform a dry run of the command, add the option --dry-run to the command. This will display what actions the command will run without executing the actions. For example, type the command:

Note: This step is valid for vCSA 6.0 only.

service-control --stop --all --dry-run

Restarting vCenter Server and/or Platform Services Controller services

To restart a vCenter Server Appliance service using the vSphere Web Client:

1. Log in to the vSphere Web Client with a vCenter Single Sign-on administrator account.
2. Navigate to Administration > Deployment > System Configuration.
3. Click Nodes, select the vCenter Server Appliance node and click the Related Objects tab.
4. Right-click on the service you want to restart and select Restart.

To restart a vCenter Server and/or Platform Services Controller service using the command-line:

1. Log in as root through an SSH or console session on the vCenter Server Appliance.
2. Run this command to enable the shell (Note: This command is applicable only for vCenter Server Appliance 6.0):
   
   shell.set --enabled true
3. Run this command to launch the shell (Note: This command is applicable if you are in Appliance shell):
   
   shell
4. Run this command to change directories to /bin:
   
   cd /bin
    
5. Run this command to list the vCenter Server Appliance services:
   
   service-control --list
    
6. Run this command to stop a specific service:
   
   service-control --stop servicename
    
7. You may also stop all services by typing the command:
   
   service-control --stop --all
    
8. Run this command to start a specific service:
   
   service-control --start servicename
    
9. You may also start all services by typing the command:
   
   service-control --start --all

Additional Information

VMware Skyline Health Diagnostics for vSphere - FAQ

vCenter Server 7.x services:

vmware-vmon	VMware Service Lifecycle Manager
vmonapi	VMware Service Lifecycle Manager API
vmafdd	VMware Authentication Framework
vmdird	VMware Directory Service
vmcad	VMware Certificate Service
lookupsvc	VMware Lookup Service
vmware-sca	VMware Service Control Agent
vmware-stsd	VMware Security Token Service
vmware-rhttpproxy	VMware HTTP Reverse Proxy
vmware-envoy	VMware Envoy Proxy
vmware-netdumper	VMware vSphere ESXi Dump Collector
vmware-vapi-endpoint	VMware vAPI Endpoint
vmware-vpxd-svcs	VMware vCenter-Services
vmware-perfcharts	VMware Performance Charts
applmgmt	VMware Appliance Management Service
vmware-statsmonitor	VMware Appliance Monitoring Service
vmware-cis-license	VMware License Service
vmware-vpostgres	VMware Postgres
vmware-postgres-archiver	VMware Postgres Archiver
vmware-vdtc	VMware vSphere Distrubuted Tracing Collector
vmware-vpxd	VMware vCenter Server
vmware-eam	VMware ESX Agent Manager
vmware-vsm	VMware vService Manager
vmware-sps	VMware vSphere Profile-Driven Storage Service
pschealth	VMware Platform Services Controller Health Monitor
vmware-rbd-watchdog	VMware vSphere Auto Deploy Waiter
vmware-content-library	VMware Content Library Service
vmware-imagebuilder	VMware Image Builder Manager
lwsmd	Likewise Service Manager
vmcam	VMware vSphere Authentication Proxy
vmware-vcha	VMware vCenter High Availability
vmware-updatemgr	VMware Update Manager
vmware-vsan-health	VMware VSAN Health Service
vsphere-ui	VMware vSphere Client
vmware-hvc	VMware Hybrid VC Service
vmware-trustmanagement	VMware Trust Management Service
vmware-certificatemanagement	VMware Certificate Management Service
vmware-certificateauthority	VMware Certificate Authority Service
vmware-pod	VMware Patching and Host Management Service
vlcm	VMware vCenter Lifecycle API
vmware-analytics	VMware Analytics Service
vmware-topologysvc	VMware Topology Service
vmware-infraprofile	VMware Infraprofile Service
wcp	Workload Control Plane
vtsdb	VMware vTsdb Service
vstats	VMware vStats Service
observability	VMware VCSA Observability Service
observability-vapi	VMware VCSA Observability VAPI Service

vCenter Server Appliance Services:

 

Service Name	Description
applmgmt	VMware Appliance Management Service
vmware-cis-license	VMware License Service
vmware-cm	VMware Component Manager
vmware-eam	VMware ESX Agent Manager
vmware-sts-idmd	VMware Identity Management Service
vmware-invsvc	VMware Inventory Service
vmware-mbcs	VMware Message Bus Configuration Service
vmware-netdumper	VMware vSphere ESXi Dump Collector
vmware-perfcharts	VMware Performance Charts
vmware-rbd-watchdog	VMware vSphere Auto Deploy Waiter
vmware-rhttpproxy	VMware HTTP Reverse Proxy
vmware-sca	VMware Service Control Agent
vmware-sps	VMware vSphere Profile-Driven Storage Service
vmware-stsd	VMware Security Token Service
vmware-syslog	VMware Common Logging Service
vmware-syslog-health	VMware Syslog Health Service
vmware-vapi-endpoint	VMware vAPI Endpoint
vmware-vdcs	VMware Content Library Service
vmafdd	VMware Authentication Framework
vmcad	VMware Certificate Service
vmdird	VMware Directory Service
vmware-vpostgres	VMware Postgres
vmware-vpx-workflow	VMware vCenter Workflow Manager
vmware-vpxd	VMware vCenter Server
vmware-vsm	VMware vService Manager
vsphere-client	vSphere Web Client
vmware-vws	VMware System and Hardware Health Manager
vmware-vsan-health	VMware vSAN Health Service

For more commands see, VMware Docs.