Error: "Define member criteria or objects to include" when removing objects from the "Unlicensed group" in Aria Operations

Products

• VCF Operations/Automation (formerly VMware Aria Suite)

Issue/Introduction

• Unable to delete objects from the "Unlicensed group" due the error below:
  
  Define member criteria or objects to include


• The "Unlicensed group" contains objects that are part of the "Object to always include" list of an existing license group.

Environment

Aria Operations 8.18.x

Cause

It is not supported excluding an object from a license by adding the objects to the "Unlicensed group".

The "Unlicensed group" is automatically populated with the unlicensed objects that are not part of a licensing group or par of the "Always exclude" lists on a license group.

 

Resolution

To restore the "Unlicensed Group" to default configurations follow below steps:

1. Make sure you have snapshots of all Aria Operations appliances follow Snapshot Creation in VMware Aria Operations
2. Go to Subscription -> Legacy Licenses -> License groups page
3. Delete the Unlicensed group by clicking on the 3 dots in front of the name
4. Go to Aria operations admin UI and click 'Bring cluster offline' button.
5. Once the cluster status shows offline. click on 'Bring cluster online' button.
6. Once the cluster is online give it 15-20 minutes and the group should comeback with default settings.
7. Go to 'License keys' tab and click on 'Refresh license usage' next to the Add button.

To exclude an object from the license it is necessary to use the "Always exclude" lists on a license group as per documentation at VMware Aria Operations License Group