Unable to add and/or validate a physical switch data source in VCF Operations for Networks

Products

• VCF Operations for Networks

Issue/Introduction

Validation of physical switch data source shows "bad user name or password" or "unable to connect to host (bad hostname or ip) in VCF Operations for Networks, despite the username and password working properly via SSH from the Collector node(s). This may occur when adding a new switch, adding switches back after upgrade, or on a re-validation of the connection details.

When you attempt validation via Settings --> Data Sources --> Configuration for a physical switch, with a username and password that is known to be good because it has been tested by an SSH into the device with those credentials, you see:

• a red error under "IP Address / FQDN" of "Hostname/IP is unreachable"; and
  
  
• An error to the right of the "Validate" button that says "Generic Router/Switch: Hostname/IP is unreachable."

Below screen shot is an example:

• In /var/log/arkin/collector/latest_error.log you may see the following error:

2025-12-19T12:57:16.162Z ERROR security.ssl.SSHTOFUService collector-process-msg-exec-503 check:79 host keys for ##.##.1##.# has changed. _ New presented HostKey is:#################################################################### 

• In /var/log/arkin/collector/latest_error.log you may see the following error:

2025-12-19T12:57:55.782Z WARN common.utils.CommonUtils Thread-6 logException:2678 Error while executing message type: VALIDATE_DP_CREDENTIAL message requestID: ########-####-####-####-########### tenantId: #####
java.util.concurrent.TimeoutException: null
        at java.util.concurrent.FutureTask.get(FutureTask.java:204) _[_:_]
        at com.vnera.collector.core.saascommunication.SaasListener.receiveMessage(SaasListener.java:120) _[collector-0.001-SNAPSHOT.jar:_]
        at com.vnera.collector.externalcommunication.saascommunication.SaasRPCListener.sendResponse(SaasRPCListener.java:57) _[collector-0.001-SNAPSHOT.jar:_]
        at com.vnera.collector.core.saascommunication.AbstractSaasListenerTransport.receiveMessage(AbstractSaasListenerTransport.java:146) _[collector-0.001-SNAPSHOT.jar:_]
        at com.vnera.collector.core.saascommunication.AbstractSaasListenerTransport.lambda_run_0(AbstractSaasListenerTransport.java:196) _[collector-0.001-SNAPSHOT.jar:_]
        at com.github.rholder.retry.AttemptTimeLimiters_NoAttemptTimeLimit.call(AttemptTimeLimiters.java:73) [guava-retrying-1.0.5.jar:_]
        at com.github.rholder.retry.Retryer.call(Retryer.java:104) [guava-retrying-1.0.5.jar:_]
        at com.vnera.collector.core.saascommunication.AbstractSaasListenerTransport.run(AbstractSaasListenerTransport.java:183) [collector-0.001-SNAPSHOT.jar:_]
        at java.lang.Thread.run(Thread.java:840) [_:_]

 

NOTE:  VCF Operations for Networks was formerly named Aria Operations for Networks (AON), and prior to that was named vRealize Network Insight (vRNI).

Environment

Aria Operations for Networks 6.13.x

Aria Operations for Networks 6.14.x

VCF Operations for Networks 9.x

Cause

Assuming that the username and password being used have been independently verified to be correct, by SSHing into the device from the Collector node with those credentials, the most likely cause is that the operation is taking longer than the pre-set default timeout value in the application.

The default connection time for a data source to the collector is 40 seconds and this can be modified by Support assistance.

Resolution

The investigation of this requires the engagement of the VCF Operations for Networks support team. 

Please open a case with the VCF Operations for Networks support team following the instructions at Creating and managing Broadcom support request (SR) cases

When opening the case, please generate both Platform and Collector logs and upload them to the case.