Unable to sync directory in VIDM with error " Response from connector: Failed to complete dry run."

Products

• VCF Operations/Automation (formerly VMware Aria Suite)

Issue/Introduction

• Navigating to Identity & Access Management → Selecting AD directory gives the error "Connector communication failed because of invalid data: Problem connecting to directory: Host {0}, Reason - {1}"
• Triggering directory sync fails with the error "Response from connector: Failed to complete dry run."
• The /opt/vmware/horizon/workspace/logs/connector.log shows the following error:  

  2025-11-07T06:27:17,253 ERROR (Thread-182185) [<domain>;[email protected];###.###.###.###;] com.vmware.horizon.connector.rest.SyncConfigurationRestController - Failed to complete dry run.
  com.vmware.horizon.connector.exception.HorizonException: Failed to load group DNs from directory
  
  Caused by: com.vmware.horizon.directory.DirectoryServiceException: Problem connecting to directory.
  
  Caused by: java.util.concurrent.ExecutionException: com.vmware.horizon.directory.DirectoryServiceException: Problem connecting to directory.
  
  Caused by: com.vmware.horizon.directory.DirectoryServiceException: Problem connecting to directory.
  
  Caused by: com.vmware.horizon.directory.ldap.exceptions.DirectoryConnectionException: Could not connect to the Domain Controller.
   at com.vmware.horizon.directory.ldap.dc.service.context.JNDIContextFetcher.handleLdapExceptions(JNDIContextFetcher.java:130) ~[adapter-ldap-0.1.jar:3.3.7.0 Build 21173100]
   at com.vmware.horizon.directory.ldap.dc.service.context.SSLContextFetcher.fetchContext(SSLContextFetcher.java:43) ~[adapter-ldap-0.1.jar:3.3.7.0 Build 21173100]
  
  Caused by: javax.naming.CommunicationException: simple bind failed: <domain>:636
  
  Caused by: javax.net.ssl.SSLHandshakeException

Environment

VIDM 3.3.x

Cause

Read-Only Domain Controller(RODC) root certificate was updated but it was not added in VIDM

Resolution

Add the updated root certificate to VIDM by navigating to Identity & Access Management → Select AD directory under Directory Name →  Locate Encryption  → Update the SSL certificate to include the updated root certificate

If the issue continues please review KB VMware Identity Manager Directory Sync fails with Error 'Response from connector: Failed to complete dry run'  

Additional Information

https://knowledge.broadcom.com/external/article/399541

https://knowledge.broadcom.com/external/article/369607/attempting-to-login-to-vidm-with-active.html