Upgrade fails with error : "A problem occurred while getting data from the source vCenter Server" on Stage 1 - Connect to source appliance

Products

• VMware vCenter Server 8.0
• VMware vCenter Server

Issue/Introduction

• While attempting to upgrade the vCenter Server Appliance(From 7.0 to 8.0), the process fails at Stage 1 - Step 3 (Connect to source appliance) with the error:
  "A problem occurred while getting data from the source vCenter server."
  
  
  
  
• On the Connect to source appliance Wizard screen of Stage1, an error occurs after click CONNECT TO SOURCE and then click NEXT.
  
  
• The following is logged in the installer log:
  %TEMP%\vcsaUiInstaller
  ex:C:\Users\Administrator\AppData\Local\Temp\2\vcsaUiInstaller\installer-YYYYMMDD-#########.log
  
  YYYY-MM-DDTHH:MM:SS.###Z - error: Could not get response for get request from url https://esxi01.example.com:443/guestFile?id=15&token=########-####-####-####-############: Error: getaddrinfo ENOTFOUND esxi01.example.com
  YYYY-MM-DDTHH:MM:SS.###Z - error: Failed to get data from url:https://esxi01.example.com:443/guestFile?id=15&token=########-####-####-####-############, error: Could not get response for get request from url https://esxi01.example.com:443/guestFile?id=15&token=########-####-####-####-############: Error: getaddrinfo ENOTFOUND esxi01.example.com
  YYYY-MM-DDTHH:MM:SS.###Z - error: Error in getting fileData for nodeType. Error: "Could not get response for get request from url https://esxi01.example.com:443/guestFile?id=15&token=########-####-####-####-############: Error: getaddrinfo ENOTFOUND esxi01.example.com"

Environment

7.x
8.x

Cause

There is a connectivity issue between the named FQDN in the error message and the jump server the installer is being launched from.

This can be caused by the following:

• There is an issue with DNS resolution of the ESXi host on the Jump Server (running the VCSA UI installer).
• Jump Server cannot connect to the ESXi host (hosting the source vCenter Server VM).
• The certificate thumbprint on the mentioned ESXi host may be expired or invalid.

 

Resolution

Attempt the steps in the following order to resolve all potential issues:

1. Verify DNS Server setting/configuration and DNS resolution for the mentioned ESXi host on the Jump Server (nslookup ESXi-FQDN/ESXi-IP etc...)
2. Review the ESXi host certificate mentioned in the error, if found to be invalid renew the certificate via the vCenter UI interface following the directions here: Renew or Refresh ESXi Certificates
3. IMPORTANT: The installer will cache data, close and relaunch the installer and try the operation once more once the above has been verified and corrected.

Additional Information

Error "A problem occurred while getting data from the source vCenter server" is encountered when upgrading the vCenter Server Appliance