VMware Cloud Director appliance management UI (Port 5480) fails to load after deployment

Products

• VMware Cloud Director

Issue/Introduction

• After deploying the VMware Cloud Director appliance, navigating to https://<VMware_Cloud_Director_IP>:5480 fails with the error:
  
  <VMware_Cloud_Director_IP> refused to connect
  
  
• /opt/vmware/var/log/firstboot reveals the following entries:
  
  Checking for all required OVF parameters, for OS Configuration Phase
[Error] Not all required parameters for OS phase configuration were provided.
For more details, see: /opt/vmware/var/log/vcd/check-os-params.log


• Below messages can be found in /opt/vmware/var/log/vcd/check-os-params.log:
  
  Checking ovf parameters needed for proper OS and Network configuration
search_path ovf parameter not specified.
Number of missing parameters: 1
Not all required ovf parameters were specified, therefore skipping os configuration phase.

Environment

VMware Cloud Director 10.x

Cause

The Domain Search Path (search_path) OVF parameter was left blank or unspecified during the appliance OVA/OVF deployment wizard. As a mandatory OVF parameter is missing, firstboot scripts skip the OS configuration phase, preventing network services and the Appliance Management UI from initializing.

Resolution

The OS configuration phase cannot be re-triggered post-deployment. The existing appliance must be decommissioned and redeployed.

1. Power off and delete the failed VMware Cloud Director appliance VM from vCenter Server.
2. Redeploy the VMware Cloud Director OVA/OVF template.
3. During the customize template phase of deployment, ensure the domain search path field is populated.

Additional Information

For detailed steps to start up and configured vcd, please refer to: Start Your VMware Cloud Director Appliance Deployment.