VCF Bring up Failing When attempting to perform VCF bringup

Products

• VCF Operations
• VCF - MCOE - SDDC
• VMware SDDC Manager

Issue/Introduction

Error :Bring-up has completed with failure, refer to the bring-up task table below for details.

vcf-bringup-debug.log :

• 2025-04-08T06:13:20.166+0000 [bringup,67f4be80b54bdb8892a107b1b7fef2ce,d020] INFO  [c.v.v.b.c.v1.BringupPublicController,http-nio-0.0.0.0-9080-exec-5] Updating deployWithoutLicenseKeys in the sddc spec with false
  2025-04-08T06:34:07.925+0000 [bringup,67f4c35f1bec09dacfe805525ead4596,d181] INFO  [c.v.v.b.c.v1.BringupPublicController,http-nio-0.0.0.0-9080-exec-3] Updating deployWithoutLicenseKeys in the sddc spec with false

• 2025-04-08T06:38:02.394+0000 [bringup,67f4c400c067d33f5fd084e7050bf40f,2a33] DEBUG [c.v.v.c.util.CIContractInstaller,pool-4-thread-5] ============== [FAILED] Task: Deploying vCenter Server Appliance execution
  2025-04-08T06:38:02.394+0000 [bringup,67f4c400c067d33f5fd084e7050bf40f,2a33] DEBUG [c.v.v.c.util.CIContractInstaller,pool-4-thread-5] failed at 06:38:02 AM ==============
  2025-04-08T06:38:02.394+0000 [bringup,67f4c400c067d33f5fd084e7050bf40f,2a33] DEBUG [c.v.v.c.util.CIContractInstaller,pool-4-thread-5] Task 'Deploying vCenter Server Appliance' execution failed because
  2025-04-08T06:38:02.394+0000 [bringup,67f4c400c067d33f5fd084e7050bf40f,2a33] DEBUG [c.v.v.c.util.CIContractInstaller,pool-4-thread-5] [ApplianceDeploymentTask: Caught an exception (vim.fault.RestrictedVersion) {
  2025-04-08T06:38:02.394+0000 [bringup,67f4c400c067d33f5fd084e7050bf40f,2a33] DEBUG [c.v.v.c.util.CIContractInstaller,pool-4-thread-5] dynamicType = <unset>,    dynamicProperty = (vmodl.DynamicProperty) [],    msg =
  2025-04-08T06:38:02.394+0000 [bringup,67f4c400c067d33f5fd084e7050bf40f,2a33] DEBUG [c.v.v.c.util.CIContractInstaller,pool-4-thread-5] 'Current license or ESXi version prohibits execution of the requested
  2025-04-08T06:38:02.394+0000 [bringup,67f4c400c067d33f5fd084e7050bf40f,2a33] DEBUG [c.v.v.c.util.CIContractInstaller,pool-4-thread-5] operation.',    faultCause = <unset>,    faultMessage =

Environment

VCF - 5.2.1.0 Build 24307856

VCF - 5.2.0.0 Build 24108943

VCF - 5.1.0.0 Build 22688368

Cause

This type of issue can occur due to expired license on vSphere & if under JSON file as well deployWithoutLicenseKeys set to false.

This type of issue can also occur due to compatibility with vSphere products.

 

Resolution

Assign the valid License. 

Or

For deploying VCF using the Cloud Builder API, you will need to append deployWithoutLicenseKeys with a value of true and the all license fields can be left blank or omitted all together

deployWithoutLicenseKeys: true

Deployment Workbook:

For deploying VCF using the Cloud Builder UI, there is a new entry in the workbook called "License Now" which you can select No and leave all license fields blank.