vSAN Services is shown as shut down in vCenter Server

Products

• VMware vSAN

Issue/Introduction

• After performing a vSAN cluster shutdown and restart, the vSAN cluster restarts and all VMs are functioning properly.
• However, if the vSAN health service is restarted on vCenter, the cluster is back to shut down status and "Restart" is available again in "Cluster>Configure>vSAN>Services" as in the example below:

Environment

VMware vSAN 7.0.x

VMware vSAN 8.0.x

Cause

After performing a vSAN cluster shutdown, it is possible to hit cluster power status inconsistencies related to the /etc/vmware-vsan-health/config.conf file.

Resolution

Clear the config file:

1. Open an SSH session to the vCenter Server.
2. In /etc/vmware-vsan-health/config.conf file, remove line in section [PowerSystem]:

   e.g. state_for_domain-c47 = vcVMPoweredOff 

3. Restart vSAN health by running the command:

   vmon-cli -r vsan-health

The vSAN cluster services will be back to normal on vCenter.

Additional Information

Related link:

All vSAN VMs are inaccessible after a planned cluster shutdown due to inconsistent cluster power status in the vSAN shutdown workflow