vCenter Server Fails to Join Active Directory with IDM Client Exception Error Code 40118

Products

• VMware vCenter Server

Issue/Introduction

When attempting to join a vCenter Server to Active Directory, the operation fails with the error message "idm client exception error trying to join AD error code 40118." This prevents the vCenter Server from successfully joining the domain and utilizing Active Directory for authentication and identity management.

Log entries in /var/log/vmware/vmdir/vmafdvmdirclient.log typically show errors similar to:

ERROR: VmDirAnonymousLDAPBindEx to (ldap://domaincontroller.domain.com:389) failed. (-1)(Can't contact LDAP server)
ERROR: _VmDirGetDSERootAttributeEx failed with error (9127)

Additionally, the /var/log/vmware/vmafdd/vmafdd.log file may contain entries like:

Failed to join AD. Error(2453)

Environment

• VMware vCenter Server 7.0 and later versions
• Microsoft Active Directory domain environment
• The issue typically occurs during the initial domain join process in the vCenter Server management interface

Cause

This error occurs primarily due to connectivity issues between the vCenter Server and the Active Directory domain controller. Based on log analysis, the most common causes are:

• Network connectivity problems preventing LDAP communication on port 389
• Firewall rules blocking required ports for Active Directory communication or which permit UDP traffic but block TCP connections for required services
• DNS configuration issues causing domain controller resolution failures
• LDAP service unavailability on the target domain controller

Resolution

Follow these steps to resolve the vCenter Server Active Directory join failure:

1. Verify basic network connectivity to the domain controller:
   1. Log in to the vCenter Server Appliance shell
   2. Test basic connectivity using ping. (substitute the actual domain controller FQDN for "domaincontroller.domain.com":)
      
            ping domaincontroller.domain.com
      
      
   3. If ping fails, address basic network connectivity issues first
      
      
2. Test specific LDAP port connectivity:
   1. Use curl to test connectivity to the LDAP port (again, substitute the actual domain controller FQDN for "domaincontroller.domain.com")::
      
      curl -v ldap://domaincontroller.domain.com:389
      
      
   2. A successful connection will show "Connected to" in the output
   3. If connection is refused or times out, troubleshoot network connectivity issues
      
      
3. Verify DNS configuration:
   1. Check the current DNS settings:
      
            cat /etc/resolv.conf
   2. Ensure the DNS servers listed are the same as the Active Directory DNS servers
   3. Test DNS resolution:
      
            nslookup domaincontroller.domain.com
      dig domaincontroller.domain.com
      
      
   4. If DNS resolution fails, update DNS settings appropriately
      
      
4. Check and adjust firewall settings:
   1. Verify that the following ports are open between vCenter Server and domain controllers:
            - 53 (DNS - both TCP and UDP),
            - 88 (Kerberos - both TCP and UDP)
            - 389/636 (LDAP/LDAPS - TCP only)
            - 445 (SMB - TCP only)
            - 3268/3269 (Global Catalog - TCP only)
   2. Test TCP connectivity to critical services:
      
         curl -v telnet://domaincontroller.domain.com:389
         curl -v telnet://domaincontroller.domain.com:88
      
      
   3. Check local firewall status on vCenter Server:
      
            iptables -L
      
      
   4. Work with the network team to ensure network firewalls allow required communication
      
      
5. Validate domain controller status:
   1. Confirm the target domain controller is online and functioning properly
   2. Verify the LDAP service is running on the domain controller
   3. Consider testing with a different domain controller if available
      
      
6. Check for routing issues:
   1. Use traceroute to identify any network path problems:
      
            traceroute domaincontroller.domain.com
      
      
   2. Look for any dropped packets or routing issues in the output
      
      
7. Retry the domain join operation:
   1. Navigate to the vCenter Server management interface
   2. Attempt to join the domain with properly formatted credentials
   3. If using an account with a domain prefix, try the format `[e-mail]`
   4. If using an account with a domain suffix, try the format `DOMAIN\username`
      
      
8. If issues persist, check detailed logs:
   1. Review /var/log/vmware/vmdir/vmdir.log for specific errors
   2. Check /var/log/vmware/vmafdd/vmafdd.log for additional context
   3. Look for detailed information related to error code 40118 and error 2453

Additional Information

• Ensure time synchronization between vCenter Server and domain controllers (maximum allowed time skew is 5 minutes)
• Check for any existing/stale computer accounts in Active Directory from previous join attempts
• For more information:
  Add a vCenter Server to an Active Directory Domain