Configuring SMTP in Data Services Manager fails with error message 'Unable to fetch email'

Products

• VMware Data Services Manager

Issue/Introduction

When a user logs into the DSM UI and attempts to configure SMTP (via Settings > SMTP Settings > Populate required fields > SAVE) the operation may fail with one of the following error messages:

• 'Unable to fetch email'.
• "Unable to send the test email. Verify the SMTP configuration and try again."

Environment

VMware Data Services Manager

Cause

1. "Unable to fetch email"

• During SMTP configuration, DSM sends a test email to the user who is setting up the SMTP server - to determine the recipient, DSM tries to fetch the logged-in LDAP user's email address. 
• This step fails if the LDAP user does not have either the mail or rfc822mailbox attribute present and correctly populated.

Example log snippet from provider.log:
ERROR [XXX-XXXX-XXXX-X] v.t.s.p.a.c.DbControllerAdvice - Exception : Unable to fetch email
com.vmware.tdm.sp.common.exception.TdmException: Unable to fetch email
...
Caused by: com.vmware.tdm.sp.common.exception.TdmException: LDAP User does not have mail/rfc822mailbox attribute


2. "Unable to send the test email. Verify the SMTP configuration and try again."

• This occurs when a DSM Local User without a valid email address attempts to configure SMTP.
• Since the system attempts to send a test email to the logged-in user's email address, the operation fails if the address is invalid or does not exist.

Example log snippet from provider.log:
com.vmware.tdm.sp.common.exception.TdmException: Unable to send the test email. Verify the SMTP configuration and try again.

Resolution

• For LDAP users: Ensure the mail or rfc822mailbox attribute is properly configured with a valid email address in the LDAP directory for the user performing the SMTP configuration.
• Best Practice: All users who log into DSM should have a valid email address configured to support email-based notifications.
• Workaround: Log in as a DSM Local User with a valid and active email address. Then proceed with the SMTP configuration—the test email will be sent to this user's email.