IOFilters are offline. SPS logs report the error: Cannot write application data until initial handshake completed

Products

• VMware vCenter Server

Issue/Introduction

ESXi IOFILTER Storage Providers are offline and the sps.log file reports the fault, Error in queryVasaProviderInfo java.lang.IllegalStateException: Cannot write application data until initial handshake completed.

The ESXi hosts are added to vCenter Server using IP address instead of FQDN.

Environment

vCenter Server 8.x

Cause

The vmware-sps service validates FQDN of the storage provider by default. If the ESXi hosts are added using an ip address, FQDN validation fails.

As FQDN validation fails the initial handshake does not complete and the provider is marked offline.

Resolution

To resolve the issue, ensure ESXi hosts are added to vCenter Server using FQDN.

To work around the issue, disable hostname verification by vmware-sps using the below steps,

• Stop the vmware-sps service.
  
  service-control --stop vmware-sps
  
  
• Backup the file, /usr/java/jre-vmware/bin/vmware-sps using the below command
  
  $> cp /usr/java/jre-vmware/bin/vmware-sps /usr/java/jre-vmware/bin/vmware-sps.bak
  
  
• Edit the file, /usr/java/jre-vmware/bin/vmware-sps using vi
  
  $> vi //usr/java/jre-vmware/bin/vmware-sps

• Change the value of the parameter, bc_tls_arg

  From:
   bc_tls_arg="-Djavax.net.ssl.trustStoreType=JKS -Djdk.tls.trustNameService=true       
               -Dorg.bouncycastle.jsse.client.assumeOriginalHostName=true"

  To:
  bc_tls_arg="-Djavax.net.ssl.trustStoreType=JKS"

• Save the file by typing ":wq!"
  
  
• Start the vmware-sps service
  

  service-control --start vmware-sps