Performing precheck for VCSA pathing via vCenter Appliance Management Interface fails with error: Timeout happens while waiting for task to terminate

Products

• VMware vCenter Server
• VMware vCenter Server 8.0

Issue/Introduction

• Precheck via vCenter Appliance Management Interface (VAMI) fails with the error as "Timeout happens while waiting for task to terminate"
• Issue is same while performing the precheck via attached patch ISO
• The issue is seen if proxy is configured on the vCenter server appliance (VCSA)
• /var/log/vmware/applmgmt/Patchrunner.log:

YYYY-MM-DDTHH:MM:SS applmgmt:CollectRequirements INFO extensions Executing patch hook '<module 'applmgmt' from '/storage/core/software-update/updates/8.0.3.00100/scripts/patches/payload/components-script/applmgmt/__init__.py'>:CollectRequirements' with context <patch_specs.PatchContext object at 0x7f65682c8340>.
YYYY-MM-DDTHH:MM:SS applmgmt:CollectRequirements INFO applmgmt Executing the requirements hook for Applmgmt Service
YYYY-MM-DDTHH:MM:SS applmgmt:CollectRequirements INFO applmgmt Checking if a valid file based backup was taken.
YYYY-MM-DDTHH:MM:SS applmgmt:CollectRequirements INFO applmgmt.file_based_backup_recovery Get the available file based backup details from vCenter
YYYY-MM-DDTHH:MM:SS applmgmt:CollectRequirements INFO vapi_utils.lookup_service Creating LookupService client with URL: https://<VCSA FQDN>:443/lookupservice/sdk
YYYY-MM-DDTHH:MM:SS applmgmt:CollectRequirements INFO vapi_utils.authentication Loading certificate and key for user 'vpxd-extension' from VECS
YYYY-MM-DDTHH:MM:SS applmgmt:CollectRequirements INFO vapi_utils.authentication Key saved in file: /tmp/tmpopajzp8x
YYYY-MM-DDTHH:MM:SS applmgmt:CollectRequirements INFO vapi_utils.authentication Certificate saved in file: /tmp/tmpa94q7kqn
YYYY-MM-DDTHH:MM:SS applmgmt:CollectRequirements INFO vapi_utils.vc_service Creating VcService client on host <VCSA FQDN>

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

YYYY-MM-DDTHH:MM:SS CEST [106144]DEBUG:vmware.appliance.update.update_pending:Running update prechecks for version 8.0.3.00100 and component None
YYYY-MM-DDTHH:MM:SS CEST [106144]INFO:vmware.appliance.update.update_functions:Timeout happens while waiting for task to terminate
YYYY-MM-DDTHH:MM:SS CEST [106144]ERROR:vmware.vapi.provider.local:Error in invoking com.vmware.appliance.update.pending in precheck - Timeout happens while waiting for task to terminate
Traceback (most recent call last):
  File "/usr/lib/applmgmt/vapi/lib/vapi_runtime-2.100.0-py2.py3-none-any.whl/vmware/vapi/provider/local.py", line 277, in invoke
    method_result = self._invoke_int(
  File "/usr/lib/applmgmt/vapi/lib/vapi_runtime-2.100.0-py2.py3-none-any.whl/vmware/vapi/provider/local.py", line 249, in _invoke_int
    method_result = iface.invoke(ctx, method_id, input_value)
  File "/usr/lib/applmgmt/vapi/lib/vapi_runtime-2.100.0-py2.py3-none-any.whl/vmware/vapi/bindings/skeleton.py", line 371, in invoke
    meth_output = method(**meth_args)
  File "/usr/lib/applmgmt/vapi/py/vmware/appliance/vapi/update_impl.py", line 201, in precheck
    return worker.precheck(version, component)
  File "/usr/lib/applmgmt/update/py/vmware/appliance/update/update_pending.py", line 280, in precheck
    result = MicroserviceConnector.waitResults(request)
  File "/usr/lib/applmgmt/update/py/vmware/appliance/update/ms_connector.py", line 177, in waitResults
    result = executeFunctionUntilSuccessOrTimeout(
  File "/usr/lib/applmgmt/update/py/vmware/appliance/update/update_functions.py", line 424, in executeFunctionUntilSuccessOrTimeout
    raise Exception("Timeout happens while " + ingDescription)
Exception: Timeout happens while waiting for task to terminate

Cause

The issue is related to the proxy configuration on the vCenter server

Resolution

In order to workaround the issue, perform the below steps

• Validate the proxy configuration on the vCenter server

cat /etc/sysconfig/proxy

# Enable a generation of the proxy settings to the profile.
# This setting allows to turn the proxy on and off while
# preserving the particular proxy setup.
#
PROXY_ENABLED="no"

# Some programs (e.g. wget) support proxies, if set in
# the environment.
# Example: HTTP_PROXY="http://proxy.provider.de:3128/"
HTTP_PROXY="http://<proxy server>:<port>"

# Example: HTTPS_PROXY="https://proxy.provider.de:3128/"
HTTPS_PROXY="http://<proxy server>:<port>"

# Example: FTP_PROXY="http://proxy.provider.de:3128/"
FTP_PROXY=""

# Example: GOPHER_PROXY="http://proxy.provider.de:3128/"
GOPHER_PROXY=""

# Example: SOCKS_PROXY="socks://proxy.example.com:8080"
SOCKS_PROXY=""

# Example: SOCKS5_SERVER="office-proxy.example.com:8881"
SOCKS5_SERVER=""

# Example: NO_PROXY="www.me.de, do.main, localhost"
NO_PROXY="localhost, 127.0.0.1"

• Disable the proxy via VAMI and reboot the VCSA
• Proceed with updating VCSA via VAMI

Note: In case if there is a dependency of the proxy for internet connectivity, download the FP ISO and proceed to update the VCSA