vCenter patching fails with the error "Invalid Type, Expected String, Instead got None Type"

Products

VMware vCenter Server 7.0

Issue/Introduction

Symptoms:

You will see the below error in the VAMI page during the patch process:

Checking Patchrunner.log under /var/log/vmware/applmgmt/

2025-04-07 14:38:16,803.803Z vmidentity:Contract ERROR vmware_b2b.patching.executor.hook_executor Patch hook 'vmidentity:Contract' failed.
Traceback (most recent call last):
  File "/storage/updatemgr/software-updateeb91vwh2/stage/scripts/patches/py/vmware_b2b/patching/executor/hook_executor.py", line 74, in executeHook
    executionResult = systemExtension(args)
  File "/storage/updatemgr/software-updateeb91vwh2/stage/scripts/patches/libs/sdk/extensions.py", line 106, in __call__
    result = self.extension(*args)
  File "/storage/updatemgr/software-updateeb91vwh2/stage/scripts/patches/libs/sdk/extensions.py", line 123, in _func
    return func(*args)
  File "/storage/updatemgr/software-updateeb91vwh2/stage/scripts/patches/payload/components-script/vmidentity/__init__.py", line 287, in contract
    raise e
  File "/storage/updatemgr/software-updateeb91vwh2/stage/scripts/patches/payload/components-script/vmidentity/__init__.py", line 283, in contract
    registerActiveDirectoryServiceWithLookupService()
  File "/storage/updatemgr/software-updateeb91vwh2/stage/scripts/patches/payload/components-script/vmidentity/__init__.py", line 234, in registerActiveDirectoryServiceWithLookupService
    raise e
  File "/storage/updatemgr/software-updateeb91vwh2/stage/scripts/patches/payload/components-script/vmidentity/__init__.py", line 231, in registerActiveDirectoryServiceWithLookupService
    dynVars=dynVars)
  File "/usr/lib/vmware-cm/bin/cloudvmcisreg.py", line 714, in cloudvm_sso_cm_register
    serviceId = do_lsauthz_operation(cisreg_opts_dict)
  File "/usr/lib/vmware/site-packages/cis/cisreglib.py", line 1185, in do_lsauthz_operation
    ls_obj.reregister_service(svc_id, svc_set_spec)
  File "/usr/lib/vmware/site-packages/cis/cisreglib.py", line 348, in add_securityctx_to_requests
    return req_method(self, *args, **kargs)
  File "/usr/lib/vmware/site-packages/cis/cisreglib.py", line 364, in reregister_service
    self.service_content.serviceRegistration.Set(svc_id, svc_set_spec)
  File "/usr/lib/vmware/site-packages/pyVmomi/VmomiSupport.py", line 595, in <lambda>
    self.f(*(self.args + (obj,) + args), **kwargs)
  File "/usr/lib/vmware/site-packages/pyVmomi/VmomiSupport.py", line 385, in _InvokeMethod
    return self._stub.InvokeMethod(self, info, args)
  File "/usr/lib/vmware/site-packages/pyVmomi/SoapAdapter.py", line 1570, in InvokeMethod
    raise obj  # pylint: disable-msg=E0702
pyVmomi.VmomiSupport.lookup.fault.EntryNotFoundFault: (lookup.fault.EntryNotFoundFault) {
   dynamicType = <unset>,
   dynamicProperty = (vmodl.DynamicProperty) [],
   msg = '',
   faultCause = <unset>,
   faultMessage = (vmodl.LocalizableMessage) [],
   errorMessage = 'Entry with name serviceId: a8418672-2724-####-####-92ef94ab1f47 not found.',
   name = 'serviceId: a8418672-2724-####-####-92ef94ab1f47'
}

Environment

VMware vCenter Server 7.0.x

Cause

This is caused due to a missing service on the vCenter Server

Resolution

To fix this issue, we need to use the lsdoctor tool available at the KB below:

Using the 'lsdoctor' Tool

Once we have the tool installed on the vCenter we will run it with the "rebuild" option to rebuild the missing service registration.

Important: Before doing changes please make sure to take snapshots of the vCenter Server (Powered off snapshots if vCenter Servers are in Linked mode)

1. Run python lsdoctor.py -r

2. Select option 3 to to replace the individual service

        ========================

        0.  Exit
        1.  Generate a template.
        2.  Replace all services with new services.
        3.  Replace individual service.
        4.  Restore services from backup file.

        ========================

Please select an action: 3

3. Select the specific service registration which is missing. The number for the activedirectory service here is 6.

2025-04-10T09:33:57 INFO serviceSelect: Listing services...
2025-04-10T09:33:57 INFO serviceSelect: Got list of services.

[0] topologysvc
[1] certificatemanagement
[2] cis.cls
[3] com.vmware.vsphere.client
[4] cs.license
[5] phservice
[6] activedirectory
[7] cs.inventory
[8] trustmanagement
[9] sca
[10] infraprofile
[11] rbd
[12] cs.registry
[13] vsphereui
[14] vcha
[15] cs.vstats
[16] cs.vsm
[17] imagebuilder
[18] sms
[19] cs.ds
[20] client
[21] cs.vapi
[22] hvc
[23] vcenter.computepolicy
[24] cis.vlcm
[25] applmgmt
[26] tokenservice
[27] svcaccountmgmt
[28] vsan-health
[29] observability
[30] vcenterserver
[31] certificateauthority
[32] wcp
[33] cs.perfcharts
[34] cs.authorization
[35] vcenter.apigw
[36] cs.eam
[37] cs.keyvalue
[38] vsphereui-plugins
[39] cis.vmonapi

Select number: 6

4. Once completed, you should see a message with the ID of the newly registered service.

2025-04-10T09:36:13 INFO unregisterServiceType: Unregistered 3e8af360-abc8-####-####-302d1f24923a
2025-04-10T09:36:13 INFO rebuild_single_service: Registered service: activedirectory with service ID: 3e8af360-abc8-####-####-302d1f24923a

5. Exit the application using option 0 and retry the update.

        ========================

        0.  Exit
        1.  Generate a template.
        2.  Replace all services with new services.
        3.  Replace individual service.
        4.  Restore services from backup file.

        ========================

Please select an action: 0
2025-04-10T09:38:08 INFO menu: Exiting...

Additional Information

1. The missing service in this particular case was activedirectory

2. If the lsdoctor tool mentions that the required templates are not present and provides a list of templates to select from , select the version that is closest to the build of your vCenter Server