Third party Backups for VMs fail with Error Fetching vCenter Information.

Products

• VMware vCenter Server

Issue/Introduction

• Backups for virtual machines fail when using a third-party backup tool.
• Within the backup tool, the node is unable to retrieve any details from vCenter.
• When attempting to disconnect and reconnect the vCenter within the backup tool, an error is displayed:“Error fetching vCenter information for vCenter. Reason: Remote process nsrvim exited. Unable to fetch data from vCenter.”

Environment

VMware vCenter Server 8.0

Cause

• The service account used by the backup tool to authenticate and connect to vCenter is not working.
• This may occur due to:
  • Invalid or expired credentials
  • Directory service (LDAP/AD) authentication issues
  • Permission or account lockout problems

Resolution

• Validate service account credentials:
  • Log in to vCenter using the same service account used by the backup tool.
  • If authentication fails, proceed to verify LDAP/AD status.
• Verify LDAP/Active Directory connectivity:
  • Ensure vCenter can authenticate users via LDAP/AD.
  • Check that the service account is not locked, disabled, or expired.
• Test with an alternate account:
  • Attempt login to vCenter using a different LDAP/AD service account.
  • If this account works, the issue is isolated to the original account.
• Re-authenticate the service account in the backup tool:
  • Update the password/credentials within the backup tool configuration.
  • Re-register or re-add vCenter using the working account.
• Confirm backup connectivity:
  • Verify the backup tool can now fetch vCenter inventory information.
  • Run a test backup to ensure full functionality is restored.