Unable to login with domain alias (short name) on new installed vCenter Server 8.x configured with ADFS identity provider.

Products

• VMware vCenter Server

Issue/Introduction

On a newly installed vCenter Server 8.x, you are not able to login with domain alias or short name while login with full domain name is working.

Example:

domain name : mydomain.local

alias : MYDOMAIN

 

 

vpxd.log file, you can see line similar to:

<timestamp> error vpxd[06300] [Originator@6876 sub=User opID=6422cb70] Failed to authenticate user 
<timestamp> error vpxd[06300] [Originator@6876 sub=Default opID=6422cb70] [VpxLRO] -- ERROR lro-435429  -- SessionManager -- vim.SessionManager.login: :vim.fault.InvalidLogin
--> Result:
 --> (vim.fault.InvalidLogin) {
 -->    faultCause = (vmodl.MethodFault) null,
 -->    faultMessage = 
 -->    msg = ""
 --> }
 --> Args:
 -->
 --> Arg userName:
 --> "MYDOMAIN\MYUSER"
 --> Arg password:
 --> (not shown)
 -->
 --> Arg locale:
 -->

Environment

vCenter Server 8.x

Cause

vCenter 8.x fresh install does not retain embedded  AD-over-LDAP identity source, as a result the domain alias or short name is unknown. 

Resolution

For more information regarding vSphere Authentication:

• vSphere Authentication
  • https://techdocs.broadcom.com/us/en/vmware-cis/vsphere/vsphere/8-0/vsphere-authentication-8-0.html

 

 

Additional Information

If more information is required please reach out to VMware through Broadcom Support Portal.