Error 'Fatal exception caught during application bootstrap' while starting vCloud cell service
Article ID: 397983
Updated On:
Products
Issue/Introduction
Unable to start vCloud Cell Service (service vmware-vcd start)
/opt/vmware/vcloud-director/logs/cell.log the following entries are seen
Bootstrap application: start
Fatal exception caught during application bootstrap. Halting application. Message: '/opt/vmware/vcloud-director/etc/global.properties'
/opt/vmware/vcloud-director/logs/cell-management-tool.log, the following entries are seen
2025-05-11 22:57:29,730 | ERROR | main | DatabaseType | Loading global configuration failed. |
java.io.FileNotFoundException: /opt/vmware/vcloud-director/etc/global.properties (Permission denied)
at java.base/java.io.FileInputStream.open0(Native Method)
at java.base/java.io.FileInputStream.open(FileInputStream.java:219)
at java.base/java.io.FileInputStream.<init>(FileInputStream.java:157)
at com.vmware.vcloud.common.db.DatabaseType.isSniffyEnabled(DatabaseType.java:98)
at com.vmware.vcloud.common.db.DatabaseType.getSniffyDriver(DatabaseType.java:109)
at com.vmware.vcloud.common.db.DatabaseType.<init>(DatabaseType.java:134)
at com.vmware.vcloud.common.db.DatabaseType.<clinit>(DatabaseType.java:44)
at com.vmware.vcloud.common.cmt.DatabaseInputUtils.getDatabaseType(DatabaseInputUtils.java:325)
at com.vmware.vcloud.configure.CellParameters.populateDatabaseParameters(CellParameters.java:170)
at com.vmware.vcloud.common.install.cmt.ReconfigureDatabaseCommand.doCommand(ReconfigureDatabaseCommand.java:187)
at com.vmware.vcloud.common.install.cmt.ReconfigureDatabaseCommand.doCommand(ReconfigureDatabaseCommand.java:1)
at com.vmware.vcloud.cell.management.internal.AbstractToolCommand.call(AbstractToolCommand.java:177)
at com.vmware.vcloud.cell.management.internal.AbstractToolCommand.call(AbstractToolCommand.java:37)
at com.vmware.vcloud.cell.management.CellManagementTool.start(CellManagementTool.java:355)
at com.vmware.vcloud.cell.management.CellManagementTool.main(CellManagementTool.java:247)
at com.vmware.vcloud.cell.management.CellManagementTool.main(CellManagementTool.java:279)
/opt/vmware/vcloud-director/logs/cell-runtime.log, the following entries are seen
2025-05-14 21:19:56,962 | INFO | Bootstrap Application | BootstrapApplication | Bootstrap application: start |
2025-05-14 21:19:57,872 | WARN | Bootstrap Application | CommonsConfigurationFactory | Server configuration file not found: /opt/vmware/vcloud-director/etc/global.properties |
org.apache.commons.configuration.ConfigurationException: Unable to load the configuration from the URL file:/opt/vmware/vcloud-director/etc/global.properties
at org.apache.commons.configuration.DefaultFileSystem.getInputStream(DefaultFileSystem.java:86)
at org.apache.commons.configuration.AbstractFileConfiguration.load(AbstractFileConfiguration.java:323)
at org.apache.commons.configuration.AbstractFileConfiguration.load(AbstractFileConfiguration.java:261)
at org.apache.commons.configuration.AbstractFileConfiguration.load(AbstractFileConfiguration.java:238)
at org.apache.commons.configuration.AbstractFileConfiguration.<init>(AbstractFileConfiguration.java:158)
at org.apache.commons.configuration.PropertiesConfiguration.<init>(PropertiesConfiguration.java:252)
at com.vmware.vcloud.common.configuration.impl.CommonsConfigurationFactory.getGlobalPropertiesConfiguration(CommonsConfigurationFactory.java:160)
Caused by: java.io.FileNotFoundException: /opt/vmware/vcloud-director/etc/global.properties (Permission denied)
at java.base/java.io.FileInputStream.open0(Native Method)
at java.base/java.io.FileInputStream.open(FileInputStream.java:219)
at java.base/java.io.FileInputStream.<init>(FileInputStream.java:157)
at java.base/java.io.FileInputStream.<init>(FileInputStream.java:112)
at java.base/sun.net.www.protocol.file.FileURLConnection.connect(FileURLConnection.java:86)
at java.base/sun.net.www.protocol.file.FileURLConnection.getInputStream(FileURLConnection.java:184)
at java.base/java.net.URL.openStream(URL.java:1165)
at org.apache.commons.configuration.DefaultFileSystem.getInputStream(DefaultFileSystem.java:82)
... 61 more
2025-05-14 21:20:00,459 | DEBUG | Bootstrap Application | Out | Fatal exception caught during application bootstrap. Halting application. Message: '/opt/vmware/vcloud-director/etc/global.properties' |
2025-05-14 21:20:00,459 | FATAL | Bootstrap Application | BootstrapApplication | Fatal exception caught during application bootstrap. Halting application. Message: /opt/vmware/vcloud-director/etc/global.properties |
java.nio.file.AccessDeniedException: /opt/vmware/vcloud-director/etc/global.properties
at java.base/sun.nio.fs.UnixException.translateToIOException(UnixException.java:90)
at java.base/sun.nio.fs.UnixException.rethrowAsIOException(UnixException.java:111)
at java.base/sun.nio.fs.UnixException.rethrowAsIOException(UnixException.java:116)
at java.base/sun.nio.fs.UnixCopyFile.copyFile(UnixCopyFile.java:235)
Environment
vCloud director 10.x
Cause
vCloud Director creates a “vcloud” user and a “vcloud” group.
This issue can occur if the permissions, owner, or both on the file /opt/vmware/vcloud-director/etc/global.properties were modified.
cell-management-tool runs using the vcloud user and this user must have access to the file
Resolution
To resolve this issue, correct the ownership of the /opt/vmware/vcloud-director/etc/global.properties file on the VCD Cell.
1. Change Directory to /opt/vmware/vcloud-director/etc/ where the global.properties is located.
cd /opt/vmware/vcloud-director/etc/
2.Check the current permissions on the file.
ls -altrh global.properties
It has been found that the permissions on the file have been changed from vcloud to root
3. Change the owner to the vcloud user.
chown vcloud:vcloud global.properties
4. service vmware-vcd start
Additional Information
Steps to stop, start, or restart the VMware Cloud Director service before rebooting the nodes : https://knowledge.broadcom.com/external/article/308791
Feedback
