vCenter Server Inaccessible and Unresponsive Due to Operating System or Network Subsystem Corruption
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vCenter Server Inaccessible and Unresponsive Due to Operating System or Network Subsystem Corruption

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Article ID: 370002

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Updated On:

Products

VMware vCenter Server

Issue/Introduction

If your vCenter Server becomes inaccessible through the network and fails to respond to pings, it may indicate a serious problem with the vCenter Server virtual machine (VM). Users may experience issues such as the inability to manage their vSphere environment, loss of access to the vCenter Server user interface, and disruption of critical services running on the vCenter Server.

Environment

  • vCenter Server Appliance in use
  • Usually there is malfunctioning physical infrastructure at some level
  • Symptoms can appear after events such as host maintenance, vMotion operations, or network configuration changes

Cause

Inaccessibility and unresponsiveness of the vCenter Server can sometimes be caused by corruption of the vCenter Server operating system, network subsystem, or other critical files. This corruption can result from factors such as improper shutdown, hardware failures, or unexpected events during host maintenance operations.

Resolution

Before concluding that a vCenter Server re-deployment is necessary or opening a case with VMware, perform the following basic troubleshooting steps:

1. Check vCenter Server disk space:
   - Ensure that the virtual disks assigned to the vCenter Server VM have sufficient free space. A lack of disk space can cause performance issues and lead to corruption.
   - If disk space is low, consider expanding the virtual disks or deleting unnecessary files and logs.

2. Verify network connectivity:
   - Check if the vCenter Server VM's network adapter is connected and properly configured.
   - Ensure that the VM is assigned to the correct port group or VLAN.
   - Verify that the network switches and routers are functioning correctly and that there are no firewall rules blocking communication to and from the vCenter Server.

3. Check vCenter Server services:
   - Connect to the vCenter Server VM using SSH or console access.
   - Verify that all critical vCenter Server services are running using the command `service-control --status --all`.
   - If any services are not running, attempt to start them using the command `service-control --start <service_name>`.

4. Review vCenter Server logs:
   - Access the vCenter Server logs located in `/var/log/vmware/vpx/` and `/var/log/vmware/vapi/`.
   - Check for any error messages or indications of corruption, such as file system errors or database inconsistencies.
   - If you find any relevant error messages, search the VMware Knowledge Base for articles related to those specific errors.

5. Restart the vCenter Server:
   - If the previous steps do not resolve the issue, try restarting the vCenter Server VM.
   - After the restart, check if the vCenter Server is accessible and functioning correctly.

6. If you have performed these basic troubleshooting steps and the vCenter Server remains inaccessible or unresponsive, you should open a case with VMware to see if they can determine any other repairs or options for your vCenter.

7. If it seems that your vCenter Server is inaccessible due to operating system or network subsystem corruption, and troubleshooting steps have not resolved the issue, VMware may recommmend for you to restore from backup or to re-deploy a fresh vCenter Server instance.

Follow these steps:

1. Verify that you have a recent file-based or image-based backup of your vCenter Server configuration and database. If so, shut down the malfunctioning vCenter and restore from backup. If you have a file-based backup of your vCenter Server, see the VMware Knowledge Base article See File-Based Backup and Restore of vCenter Server for detailed instructions.


2. If not, you will need to deploy and configure a fresh vCenter Server instance. Before proceeding with the re-deployment, assess the complexity of your environment by answering the following questions:

  • Do you have a distributed virtual switch (vDS) managed by vCenter?
  • Are your ESXi hosts using NIC teaming (LAG/LACP)?
  • What VMware add-on products (e.g., Site Recovery Manager, Horizon View) are installed on the affected vCenter Server?
  • What third-party products are integrated with the affected vCenter Server?
  • How many ESXi hosts are managed by the vCenter Server?
  • For vCenter Server 6.x, does your environment have an external Platform Services Controller (PSC)?
  • Is the affected vCenter Server part of an Enhanced Linked Mode configuration? If so, how many other vCenter Server instances are linked?
  • Are any of your host clusters using Enhanced vMotion Compatibility (EVC) mode?
  • Have you set up a complex resource folder hierarchy for your virtual machines?
  • Have you configured extensive customized permissions, users, and groups in vCenter Server?

3. The more "Yes" answers or complex configurations you have in your environment, the more challenging the re-deployment process may be. If your assessment reveals a high level of complexity, it is strongly recommended to have a support case open with VMware for guidance and assistance in planning and executing the vCenter Server re-deployment.

4. Once you have assessed the complexity and planned the re-deployment, proceed with deploying a new vCenter Server instance as described in the VMware vSphere documentation:

Additional Information

  • Regularly create and test backups of your vCenter Server to minimize data loss and downtime in case of issues.
  • Keep your vCenter Server and ESXi hosts updated with the latest patches and updates to reduce the risk of corruption and improve stability.
  • Monitor your vCenter Server logs and performance metrics to proactively identify and address potential issues before they lead to corruption or inaccessibility.
  • If using virtual distributed switches (DVS), make sure to implement ephemeral port groups so that vCenter Server, storage, and other management resources can still be reconnected to the DVS even in the event vCenter Server becomes disconnected from the DVS.
  • See Static (non-ephemeral) or ephemeral port binding on a vSphere Distributed Switch for more details.
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