Updating or Staging of patch on vCenter server returns error: Error in Method invocation Timeout happens while waiting for task to terminate

Products

• VMware vCenter Server
• VMware vCenter Server 8.0

Issue/Introduction

• Staging or Updating of VCSA (vCenter Server Appliance) via VAMI returns error: Error in Method invocation Timeout happens while waiting for task to terminate

• /var/log/vmware/applmgmt/applmgmt.log

YYYY-MM-DDTHH:MM:SS AM UTC [2509283]DEBUG:root:Validated user privileges in localstore or SSO
YYYY-MM-DDTHH:MM:SS AM UTC [2509283]DEBUG:vmware.appliance.update.update_state:In State._get using state file /etc/applmgmt/appliance/software_update_state.conf
YYYY-MM-DDTHH:MM:SS AM UTC [2509283]ERROR:vmware.appliance.update.update_functions:Can't read JSON file /storage/core/software-update/updates/8.0.2.00300/precheck_results [Errno 2] No such file or directory: '/storage/core/software-update/updates/8.0.2.00300/precheck_results'
YYYY-MM-DDTHH:MM:SS AM UTC [2509283]DEBUG:vmware.appliance.update.update_functions:Exception happens while waiting for task to terminate: FileNotFoundError(2, 'No such file or directory')
YYYY-MM-DDTHH:MM:SS AM UTC [2509283]ERROR:vmware.appliance.update.update_functions:Can't read JSON file /storage/core/software-update/updates/8.0.2.00300/precheck_results [Errno 2] No such file or directory: '/storage/core/software-update/updates/8.0.2.00300/precheck_results'

• PatchRunner.log will be stuck at the below line

/var/log/vmware/applmgmt/PatchRunner.log

YYYY-MM-DDTHH:MM:SS vmidentity:CollectRequirements INFO extensions Executing patch hook '<module 'vmidentity' from '/storage/core/software-update/updates/8.0.2.00400/scripts/patches/payload/components-script/vmidentity/__init__.py'>:CollectRequirements' with context <patch_specs.PatchContext object at 0x7f5c0b767160>.
YYYY-MM-DDTHH:MM:SS vmidentity:CollectRequirements INFO vmidentity Executing Requirements Hook for VMware Identity STS Service
YYYY-MM-DDTHH:MM:SS vmidentity:CollectRequirements INFO vmidentity.utils Found configured HTTP port 80
YYYY-MM-DDTHH:MM:SS vmidentity:CollectRequirements INFO vmidentity.utils providers command output is - {"value":[]}

• sso-config command to fetch the authentication policy on vCenter is hung

Identify the tenant name from the output of the command via VCSA ssh session

root@vcenter [ / ]# /usr/lib/vmware-vmafd/bin/vmafd-cli get-domain-name --server-name localhost
vsphere.local

root@vcenter [ / ]# sso-config.sh -get_authn_policy -t vsphere.local

Authentication policy on tenant : 'vsphere.local' :
IsPasswordAuthEnabled:  true
IsWindowsAuthEnabled:  true
IsTLSClientCertAuthnEnabled:  false
IsSecurIDAuthnEnabled:  false
revocationCheckEnabled:  true
useOCSP:  false
useCRLAsFailOver:  false
Alternative OCSP responders:
useCertCRL:  true
CRLUrl:   UndefinedConfig
Exception in thread "main" java.lang.NoSuchMethodError: com.vmware.identity.idm.ClientCertPolicy.getEnableHint()Z
        at com.vmware.identity.ssoconfig.SsoConfig.displayAuthenticationPolicy(SsoConfig.java:1064)
        at com.vmware.identity.ssoconfig.SsoConfig.get_authn_policy(SsoConfig.java:1000)
        at com.vmware.identity.ssoconfig.SsoConfig.main(SsoConfig.java:542)

Resolution

To workaround the issue, perform the below steps

• Log in to Broadcom Support portal web page
• Download the Full-Patch ISO for the same source build from the download page. Refer to VMware vSphere downloads, VMware Converter, OEM custom images, patches and addons in the Broadcom Support Portal
• Extract or Mount the file on a client machine
• Copy the rpm "vmware-identity-sts-<version>-<build>.noarch.rpm" file to the affected vCenter server
• Take a proper backup of the VCSA before proceeding
• Manually install the rpm on the VCSA via the below command

Sample Command:
rpm -Uvh --force vmware-identity-sts-8.0.2.00100-11979815.noarch.rpm

• Restart all the services on the vCenter

service-control --stop --all && service-control --start --all

• Proceed with the patching of vCenter server