Enhanced Linked Mode Creation Failed at "Starting Tagging Data import" Step

Products

VMware vCenter Server 7.0 VMware vCenter Server 8.0

Issue/Introduction

When creating Enhanced Linked Mode (ELM) between vCenter Servers using the cmsso-util domain-repoint -m execute command, the process fails during the "Starting Tagging Data import" step.
The pre-check using cmsso-util domain-repoint -m pre-check reports no issues.

From /var/log/vmware/cloudvm/cmsso_util.log we see below mentioned error

YYYY-MM-DD HH:MM:SS INFO cmsso_util Failed to execute script /usr/lib/repoint/taggingservice_component_script.py
YYYY-MM-DD HH:MM:SS INFO cmsso_util Failed executing <cis.component_data.DcImportCommand object at 0x7fdf91ff6750>
YYYY-MM-DD HH:MM:SS ERROR cmsso_util Re-pointing operation has failed during execution mode.
YYYY-MM-DD HH:MM:SS INFO cmsso_util Repoint failed. Restore from backup

From /var/log/vmware/cloudvm/domaindataexport.log we see below mentioned error

YYYY-MM-DD HH:MM:SS [main [] ERROR com.vmware.vim.dataservices.ImportTaggingData opId=]- ExecutionException :(dataservice.fault.AlreadyExistsFault) { faultCause = null, faultMessage = null }
YYYY-MM-DD HH:MM:SS [main [] ERROR com.vmware.vim.dataservices.ImportTaggingData opId=]- Failure importing Tagging info, local msg: (dataservice.fault.AlreadyExistsFault) { faultCause = null, faultMessage = null }
YYYY-MM-DD HH:MM:SS [main [] ERROR com.vmware.vim.dataservices.ImportTaggingData opId=]- Exception importing tagging data : java.util.concurrent.ExecutionException: (dataservice.fault.AlreadyExistsFault) { faultCause = null, faultMessage = null }
YYYY-MM-DD HH:MM:SS [main [] ERROR com.vmware.vim.dataservices.ImportTaggingData opId=]- Stack trace : java.util.concurrent.ExecutionException: (dataservice.fault.AlreadyExistsFault) { faultCause = null, faultMessage = null }

From /var/log/vmware/vpxd-svcs/vpxd-svcs.log we see below mentioned error

YYYY-MM-DD HH:MM:SS [dataservice-0 [] ERROR com.vmware.cis.core.tagging.internal.impl.CategoryManagerImpl opId=7550ef6d-8ebb-4d07-XXXX-bXXXXXXXX9cd IS] Category with name Backup already exists:
YYYY-MM-DD HH:MM:SS [dataservice-0 [] ERROR com.vmware.cis.core.tagging.vmodl.MoTagManager opId=7550ef6d-8ebb-XXXX-b077-XXXXXXXIS] Failed to create category with name : Backup com.vmware.cis.core.tagging.exception.AlreadyExistsException: Category with name Backup already exists:

Cause

The issue occurs when category names differ only in case between the vCenter Servers being linked. For example:

vCenter 1: Category named "Backup"
vCenter 2: Category named "backup"

During ELM creation, vCenter attempts to import tagging categories from one vCenter to the other. Due to the case-insensitive nature of category and tag names, the creation process detects a naming conflict and fails, preventing the ELM creation from completing.

Resolution

To resolve the issue, update the category name on one of the vCenters to match the other exactly, including letter case. Follow the steps below:

Log in to the vSphere Client (HTML5 UI) of the vCenter where the name mismatch exists.
Navigate to Menu > Tags & Custom Attributes > Categories.
Locate the conflicting category name (e.g., backup).
Click on the category name to open its details.
Click the Edit (pencil) icon.
In the Name field, change the category name to match the one on the other vCenter exactly (e.g., rename backup to Backup).
Click Save to apply the changes.
Re-run the cmsso-util domain-repoint -m execute command to continue ELM creation.

Once the names match exactly, vCenter will recognize the categories as the same and skip trying to recreate them, allowing the ELM creation to complete successfully.

Additional Information

Important Considerations When Renaming Categories:

Impact Analysis: Before renaming a category, understand its usage. Renaming a category might affect existing tags and any automation that relies on the category name.
Consistency: Aim for consistent category naming across your vCenter environment for better management and clarity.