HCX Error Connecting To HBR Server. Reason: HttpHostConnectionException

Products

• VMware HCX

Issue/Introduction

When HCX is deployed in VCF 9 and target cluster has hosts with self-signed certificates, you may see similar error message when trying to do any  bilk or RAV migration task to the cluster:

In the app.log  in the HCX manager, you will be able to see similar output: 

2025-12-18 20:27:05.957 UTC [RAVService_SvcThread-3258, Ent: HybridityAdmin, , TxId: TxId: ] ERROR c.v.v.h.a.hbr.HbrServerInstance- Failed to wait for HBR task id 'Hbr.Re

plica.Task. completion : 'Error communicating to HBR 10.##.10.10:8123. Reason: SocketException'. Retrying task poll.

2025-12-18 20:27:07.044 UTC [RAVService_SvcThread-3258, Ent: HybridityAdmin, , TxId: TxId:] ERROR c.v.v.h.a.hbr.HbrServerInstance- Failed to wait for HBR task id 'Hbr.Re

plica.Task. completion : 'Error connecting to HBR server 10.##.10.10:8123. Reason: HttpHostConnectException'. Retrying task poll.

 

Also in the  IX/Ne that is being used to migrate, in the hbrsrv.log, there might be a similar crash output: 

--> Panic: bora/lib/string/str.c:321 Buffer too small

-->

--> Backtrace:

--> [backtrace begin] product: VMware vSphere Replication Server, version: 9.0.0, build: build-24591074, tag: hbrsrv, cpu: x86_64, os: linux, buildType: release

--> backtrace[00] hbrsrv-bin[0x00##CAA2]

--> backtrace[01] hbrsrv-bin[0x00##FBB7]

--> backtrace[02] hbrsrv-bin[0x00##D898]

--> backtrace[03] hbrsrv-bin[0x00##D9A2]

--> backtrace[04] hbrsrv-bin[0x00##615C]

--> backtrace[05] hbrsrv-bin[0x00##61FA]

--> backtrace[06] hbrsrv-bin[0x00##400D]

--> backtrace[07] hbrsrv-bin[0x00##EE48]

--> backtrace[08] hbrsrv-bin[0x00##F788]

--> backtrace[09] hbrsrv-bin[0x00##37DA]

--> backtrace[10] hbrsrv-bin[0x00##6019]

--> backtrace[11] hbrsrv-bin[0x00##F320]

--> backtrace[12] hbrsrv-bin[0x00##1006]

--> backtrace[13] hbrsrv-bin[0x00##F39E]

--> backtrace[14] hbrsrv-bin[0x00##0CA2]

--> backtrace[15] hbrsrv-bin[0x00##8510]

--> backtrace[16] libc.so.6[0x000##0C4]

--> backtrace[17] libc.so.6[0x001##16C]

--> backtrace[18] (no module)

--> [backtrace end]

 

Environment

VCF 9

VMware HCX 9.0.0.0

Cause

Hosts in the cluster are using a custom certificate which caused the HBR server not able to verify the connection security therefore the migration task cannot proceed.

The error message is pointing to the HBR, however, the issue is not with the connection to the HBR but  with the HBR connection to the host cluster.

Resolution

Issue will be resolve in a future release 

Workaround

1. Download the Script hbrThp.sh that is attach to this KB
2. Upload it to the destination HCX manager under /tmp
3. SSH into the HCX manager as root 
4. Run the following commands 
   • chmod +x hbrThp.sh
   • Then run ./hbrThp.sh
5. Once the Script is done, will be required to redeploy IX appliance that is being use 
   • this task is going to be triggered using the UI under interconnect/service mesh/ view appliance/ select the mesh and redeploy
     • NOTE: during the deployment of the MA we might have an issue if we are using custom certificates. If this happens apply the following KB:   HCX Mobility Agent (MA) deployment fails when vCenter 'vpxd.certmgmt.mode' is set to 'custom' mode ( once this is done the MA should be able to deploy) 
6. Once the IX is deployed, start migrating VM again using RAV or Bulk