vSphere Replication Configure option is not working and fails with error 'vSphere Replication - UI error: Unknown error' / vSphere Replication Plug-in Issue.

Products

• VMware Live Recovery

Issue/Introduction

Symptoms:

• vSphere Replication is not manageable from the vSphere Client SRM plugin page and fails with the error 'vSphere Replication - UI error: Unknown error'
  
  
  
  
• The vSphere replication appliance can be accessible directly using the VAMI and DR pages.
  
  vSphere replication appliance VAMI login works fine: https://replication01:5480/   
  
  vSphere replication appliance DR login works fine:  https://replication01/dr
  
  
• The hostname for the vSphere Replication appliance is configured with FQDN ( fully qualified domain name )
  
  Log in to the vSphere replication appliance via the putty application and type the hostname to check whether the vSphere replication appliance is configured with a short name or fqdn.

root [ /opt/vmware/logs/hms ]# hostname

replication01.sample.com

root [ /opt/vmware/logs/hms ]#

• The vSphere Replication appliance VAMI page indicates that the certificate is configured with a short VR appliance hostname.
  
  Note: Noticed vSphere Replication appliance was using a Self-signed Certificate. 
  
  
  • 
• vSphere Replication appliance /opt/vmware/logs/hms/hms.log indicates the following error :
  

  Failed to validate certificate chain for xxxxxxxx.sample.com against HMS truststore. Error message: The certificate was not issued for use with the given hostname: xxxxxxxx.sample.com

Environment

vSphere replication 8.x
vSphere replication 9.x

Cause

vSphere Replication appliance certificate is configured with a short name instead of FQDN

Resolution

Login to the vSphere Replication appliance VAMI page and update the certificate from short name to vSphere replication appliance FQDN 

1. Log in to the vSphere Replication Appliance Management Interface as admin.
   
   
2. Click on the Certificate option click on Change and validate whether the vSphere replication appliance hostname is correctly updated in FQDN format and complete the name change process flow and this will end the current vSphere replication appliance session. 
   
   
   
   
3. Login back to the vSphere replication appliance and reconfigure the vSphere replication appliance. 
   
   
   
4. Once the vSphere appliance reconfigures is completed, the vSphere Replication appliance should be manageable from the SRM UI page.