Joining vCenter to Domain Fails with Error: "Idm client exception: Error trying to Join AD , error code [31]"

Products

• VMware vCenter Server

Issue/Introduction

When trying to add a vCenter to a Domain it fails with "Idm client exception: Error trying to Join AD , error code [31] "

Environment

vCenter 7.0 

Cause

If there is a difference in time between the host and vCenter of greater then 5 minutes then authentication will fail and the vCenter will fail to join the domain

Resolution

Review the time on the host and vCenter and confirm that they are the same

 

For ESXi host and vCenter the command below can be run in an SSH Session to verify the time:

# date

 

To set the time manually on the host, follow the steps bellow:

Prerequisites

• Verify that the NTP and the PTP configurations are not used on the host.

  • If either NTP or PTP is in use disable using the kb bellow
  • https://techdocs.broadcom.com/us/en/vmware-cis/vsphere/vsphere/7-0/vsphere-single-host-management-vmware-host-client-7-0.html

Procedure

1. In the vSphere Client home page, navigate to Home > Hosts and Clusters.
2. Select a host.
3. On the Configure tab, select System > Time Configuration.
4. Click Manual Set-Up.
   

   The Manual time configuration dialog box appears.

5. Enter a date and time and click OK

 

Once the host and vCenter times align try to join the domain once more

 

Once the vCenter is joined to the domain NTP/ PTP can be reconfigured once more

Additional Information

Configure the Date and Time on a Host Manually

https://techdocs.broadcom.com/us/en/vmware-cis/vsphere/vsphere/7-0/vsphere-single-host-management-vmware-host-client-7-0.html