vCenter Server services failed to start after refreshing the vCenter Server certificates

Products

• VMware vCenter Server

Issue/Introduction

After refreshing / replacing the vCenter Server certificates, the VPXD service fails to start.

• The vmware-vpxd service crashes and produces a dump file in the /var/core directory immediately on start.
• The vmware-vpxd service won't start using service-control --start vmware-vpxd.
• The /var/log/vmware/vpxd/vpxd.log shows no sign that vmware-vpxd service is writing new log entries.

Environment

vCenter Server 8.x

Cause

This issue is caused by a misconfigured vpxd.cfg file.  

Resolution

If any changes were made to the file recently, revert these changes and attempt to start the VPXD service.

Restore the vpxd.cfg from backup.

Recreate the vpxd.cfg file - see KB316610.

Additional Information

Validating corrupt VCSA (vpxd.cfg)