vSAN Health Service does not start due incorrect configuration

Products

• VMware vCenter Server 8.0

Issue/Introduction

• The vSAN health service will not start in an environment where VCHA is enabled
• When attempting to start the vmware-vsan-health service, it fails with the following:
  
  service-control --start vmware-vsan-health

Operation not cancellable. Please wait for it to finish...
Performing start operation on service vsan-health...
Error executing start on service vsan-health. Details {
    "detail": [
        {
            "id": "install.ciscommon.service.failstart",
            "translatable": "An error occurred while starting service '%(0)s'",
            "args": [
                "vsan-health"
            ],
            "localized": "An error occurred while starting service 'vsan-health'"
        }
    ],
    "componentKey": null,
    "problemId": null,
    "resolution": null
}
Service-control failed. Error: {
    "detail": [
        {
            "id": "install.ciscommon.service.failstart",
            "translatable": "An error occurred while starting service '%(0)s'",
            "args": [
                "vsan-health"
            ],
            "localized": "An error occurred while starting service 'vsan-health'"
        }
    ],
    "componentKey": null,
    "problemId": null,
    "resolution": null
}

Environment

VMware vCenter Server 8.0

VCHA enabled

Cause

 The user "vsanhealth" within the /storage/db/vpostgres/pg_hba.conf file is missing.

Resolution

Edit the pg_hba.conf file to include the missing vsanhealth user.

1. SSH to the vCenter via root
2. Backup the pg_hba.conf file
   
   cp /storage/db/vpostgres/pg_hba.conf /tmp/pg_hba.conf-backup
   
   
3. Edit the pg_hba.conf file
   
   vi storage/db/vpostgres/pg_hba.conf
   
   
4. Add in the following entries
   
   # hba entries for role vsanhealth
local        VCDB            vsanhealth                      peer map=vcdb
   
   
5. Save the file
   
   :wq!
   
   
6. Reload the database
   
    /opt/vmware/vpostgres/current/bin/psql -U postgres -d VCDB -c "select pg_reload_conf();"
   
   
7. Restart all services
   
   service-control --stop --all;service-control --start --all

Additional Information

If VCHA is enabled, it may be required to disable/delete VCHA.

Example of a default /storage/db/vpostgres/pg_hba.conf file:

###############################
# pg_hba.conf
###############################

# hba entries for role vstatsuser
local        VCDB            vstatsuser                      peer

# hba entries for role postgres
local        all             postgres                        peer map=applmgmt

# hba entries for role archiver
local        replication     archiver                        peer map=archiver

# hba entries for role lookupsvc_sync_db
local        VCDB            lookupsvc_sync_db                 peer map=vcdb

# hba entries for role vpxd_svcs_tagging
local        VCDB            vpxd_svcs_tagging                 peer map=vcdb

# hba entries for role vpxd_svcs_computepolicy
local        VCDB            vpxd_svcs_computepolicy                 peer map=vcdb

# hba entries for role vpxd_svcs_kv_store
local        VCDB            vpxd_svcs_kv_store                 peer map=vcdb

# hba entries for role vpxd
local        VCDB            vpxd                            peer map=vcdb

# hba entries for role observability
local        VCDB            observability                   peer

# hba entries for role trustmanagement_sync_db
local        VCDB            trustmanagement_sync_db                 peer map=vcdb

# hba entries for role vsanhealth
local        VCDB            vsanhealth                      peer map=vcdb

# hba entries for role wcpuser
local        VCDB            wcpuser                         peer map=vcdb

# hba entries for role hdcsuser
local        VCDB            hdcsuser                        peer map=vcdb

# hba entries for role fcduser
local        VCDB            fcduser                         peer map=vcdb

# hba entries for role certmgr_subscription
local        VCDB            certmgr_subscription                 peer map=vcdb

# hba entries for role certmgr_syncaas
local        VCDB            certmgr_syncaas                 peer map=vcdb

# hba entries for role cls
local        VCDB            cls                             peer map=vcdb

# hba entries for role vlcmuser
local        VCDB            vlcmuser                        peer map=vcdb

# hba entries for role hvc
local        VCDB            hvc                             peer map=vcdb

# hba entries for role vumuser
local        VCDB            vumuser                         peer map=updatemgr

# hba entries for role vidm_services_user
local        VCDB            vidm_services_user                 peer map=vcdb

# hba entries for role perfchartsuser
local        VCDB            perfchartsuser                  peer map=vcdb

# hba entries for role all
local        all             all                             scram-sha-256
host         all             all             127.0.0.1/32    scram-sha-256
host         all             all             ::1/128         scram-sha-256