Uploading files through vSphere Client may report an error related to Esxi Certificate

Products

• VMware vCenter Server

Issue/Introduction

• Initiating a file upload to either a content library or datastore, or attempting to deploy an OVF or OVA template, might result in the operation failing with an error:
  
  The operation failed for an undetermined reason. Typically this problem occurs due to certificates that the browser does not trust.
If you are using self-signed or custom certificates, open the URL below in a new browser tab and accept the certificate, then retry the operation.
https://<Esxihost-ip>
• Performing file upload using Host client is successful.

Environment

vSphere

Cause

Client Machine lacking direct network access to the ESXi host (or) TCP ports (443, 902) are blocked in the environment

Resolution

Note: Implement this setting exclusively in scenarios where direct client-to-ESXi host connectivity is unavailable (due to security hardening). This option will route all transfer traffic through vCenter Server, which may introduce network and processing overhead on the vCenter Server Appliance (VCSA).

This process will route the download/upload operation via vCenter Server.

Steps:

1. Take a backup or create a snapshot before proceeding. In case of ELM, refer to VMware vCenter in Enhanced Linked Mode pre-changes snapshot best practice
   
   
2. Connect to vCenter Server Appliance via SSH
   
   
3. Take backup of webclient.properties using below command,
   cp /etc/vmware/vsphere-ui/webclient.properties  /etc/vmware/vsphere-ui/webclient.properties.backup
   
   
4. Edit webclient.properties file using below command,
   vi /etc/vmware/vsphere-ui/webclient.properties
   
   
5. Add the following line,
   filesbrowser.alwaysDownloadUploadFromVc=true


6. Save and exit using :wq!
 
7. Restart webclient service

service-control --restart vsphere-ui

 

Additional Information

Uploading files through vSphere Client you receive the following error: "The operation failed for an undetermined reason