vCenter services fail to start with error "Failed to start lookupsvc services. Error: Operation timed out"

Products

• VMware vCenter Server

Issue/Introduction

• vCenter services fails to start with error message:
  
  Service-controlled failed. Error: failed to start services in profile ALL. RC=1 stderr=Failed to start lookupsvc services. Error: Operation timed out
  
  

Cause

• The vCenter Server requires the system hostname to align with the Primary Network ID (PNID) for proper service communication and accurate certificate validation. If these values don't match, lookupsvc service will fail to register vCenter services.
  
  
• Confirm that the difference between the two values with the following commands from an SSH session to the vCenter Appliance:
  
  
  • To verify the current PNID, run the following command:

/usr/lib/vmware-vmafd/bin/vmafd-cli get-pnid --server-name localhost

• • To verify the Current Hostname, run the following command:
    
    hostname

Resolution

To change the Hostname of the vCenter, follow the below steps:

1. Take a snapshot of the vCenter. If the nodes are in Enhanced Linked Mode, power off all vCenters before taking the snapshot.

2. Retrieve the PNID value by running the following command via SSH:

   /usr/lib/vmware-vmafd/bin/vmafd-cli get-pnid --server-name localhost

3. Run the VAMI network configuration tool:

   /opt/vmware/share/vami/vami_config_net

   • Select option 3 ("hostname") and input the PNID obtained in step 2.

4. Restart your vCenter by running the following command:

Reboot -f

     5. Reset all certificates by referring Regenerate vSphere certificates using VMCA or Replace vCenter Machine SSL using custom certificate if your Machine SSL certificate is a custom Signed certificate.