"Server has wrong SHA1 thumbprint" while VC upgrade/migration precheck fails

Products

• VMware vCenter Server

Issue/Introduction

Symptoms:

• vCenter Server Appliance Upgrade/Migration Pre-check fails with the error: "Server has wrong SHA1 thumbprint"
• You will be seeing similar entries in the log /var/log/vmware/upgrade/requirements-upgrade-runner.log

requirements-upgrade-runner.log

File "bootstrap_scripts/run-preupgrade-checks.py", line 206, in main
    commandFactory = getCommandFactory(upgradeParameters, execData, reporter)
  File "/usr/lib/vmware/cis_upgrade_runner/bootstrap_scripts/upgrade_commands.py", line 4165, in getCommandFactory
    factory = _getLinuxCommandFactory(upgradeParameters, settings, reporter)
  File "/usr/lib/vmware/cis_upgrade_runner/bootstrap_scripts/upgrade_commands.py", line 4062, in _getLinuxCommandFactory
    upgradeParameters['source-host-thumbprint'])
  File "/usr/lib/vmware/cis_upgrade_runner/libs/sdk/transport/guestops.py", line 1621, in createGuestOpsOperationManager
    vmAddress, guestUser, guestPassword, sslThumbprint)
  File "/usr/lib/vmware/cis_upgrade_runner/libs/sdk/transport/guestops.py", line 187, in __init__
    self._createServiceInstance()
  File "/usr/lib/vmware/cis_upgrade_runner/libs/sdk/transport/guestops.py", line 122, in _createServiceInstance
    self.serviceInstance.RetrieveContent()
  File "/usr/lib/vmware/cis_upgrade_runner/libs/pyVmomi.zip/pyVmomi/VmomiSupport.py", line 557, in <lambda>
    self.f(*(self.args + (obj,) + args), **kwargs)
  File "/usr/lib/vmware/cis_upgrade_runner/libs/pyVmomi.zip/pyVmomi/VmomiSupport.py", line 363, in _InvokeMethod
    return self._stub.InvokeMethod(self, info, args)
  File "/usr/lib/vmware/cis_upgrade_runner/libs/pyVmomi.zip/pyVmomi/SoapAdapter.py", line 1383, in InvokeMethod
    conn = self.GetConnection()
  File "/usr/lib/vmware/cis_upgrade_runner/libs/pyVmomi.zip/pyVmomi/SoapAdapter.py", line 1468, in GetConnection
    _VerifyThumbprint(self.thumbprint, result)
  File "/usr/lib/vmware/cis_upgrade_runner/libs/pyVmomi.zip/pyVmomi/SoapAdapter.py", line 981, in _VerifyThumbprint
    raise ThumbprintMismatchException(thumbprint, sha1Digest)
pyVmomi.SoapAdapter.ThumbprintMismatchException: Server has wrong SHA1 thumbprint: 5943d82e5d26e4a940670611ab22ebad7d8448af (required) != 5378630d8ef885d47d8fe9779b147e51c7f44a5f (server)

Environment

VMware vCenter Server Appliance 6.7.x
VMware vCenter Server Appliance 6.5.x

Cause

• This issue occurs when the source/target vCenters are migrated to a different ESXi host due to DRS's Automation Level being "Fully Automated" during the upgrade/migration process.
•  Due to this, the vCenters are unable to identify the thumbprint of the ESXi host they originally resided on.

Resolution

• Ensure that the DRS Automation Level is set to Manual on the cluster temporarily so that the source and the target vCenters do not migrate during the upgrade/migration and re-start the upgrade/migration process.

Workaround:

• If the ESXi hosts on which the vCenters originally resided are known, migrate them back to their original location and re-run the Pre-Checks.