Content Library Advanced options spin indefinitely and System Configuration Health shows as Unknown in Enhanced Linked Mode.

Products

• VMware vCenter Server

Issue/Introduction

In a vCenter Server Enhanced Linked Mode (ELM) environment, you may experience the following symptoms:

• Navigating to Content Library > Advanced results in a perpetual loading circle (spinning).

• Under Administration > System Configuration, the Node Health, Version, and Uptime for nodes appear as "Unknown".

• The issue persists even when logged in as [email protected].

• In vsphere_client_virgo.log, you see entries similar to: A task's execution took too long: 5004 ms. Task: LinkedVcGroupImpl:vcService.logout

Environment

Environment

vCenter 7.0.x
vCenter 8.0.x

Cause

This issue occurs if the sAMAccountName for a vCenter node in the vmdir database does not exactly match the FQDN of the vCenter Server (e.g., a mismatch between uppercase and lowercase letters), often occurring after a vCenter rename.

Resolution

Pre-requisites

• Take offline snapshots of all the linked vCenter Servers before performing the steps below.
  • See 'VMware vCenter in Enhanced Linked Mode pre-changes snapshot (online or offline) best practice (85662)'

Steps to resolve the issue

• Open an SSH session to the vCenter server and log in as the root user. 

• Ensure that the vmdir service is in Normal (3) state and not in any other state. If the vCenter server is in linked mode, the vmdir state should be Normal (3) in all the vCenter Servers.
• To validate the vmdird state, execute the following command.
  
  • /usr/lib/vmware-vmafd/bin/dir-cli state get
• Navigate to the vCenter Server's root folder
  • cd /root/
• Create an LDIF file using the vi editor
  • vi updatesamaccountname.ldif
• Press the i key to go to insert mode in the vi editor.
• Copy the below lines and paste them into the file.

dn: cn=<vCenter_fqdn>,ou=Domain Controllers,dc=vsphere,dc=local
changetype: modify
replace: sAMAccountName
sAMAccountName: <vCenter_fqdn>

Note: Please enter the correct hostname in the <vCenter_fqdn> field. If the local SSO domain is not vsphere.local, please modify the entries file to match the correct local SSO domain.

• Press the escape key and type :wq! and hit enter to save and exit the vi editor.
• Then run the below command:
  • ldapmodify -h localhost -p 389 -D "cn=Administrator,cn=Users,dc=vsphere,dc=local" -w <Administrator_password> -v -f updatesamaccountname.ldif

Note:  If the local SSO domain is not vsphere.local, please modify the above command to match the correct local SSO domain.

• Restart the vCenter services by running the following command.
  • service-control --stop --all && service-control --start --all

Note: If the vCenter Server is in linked mode, please restart the services on all the linked vCenter Servers.

Additional Information

This issue can also occur in environments where vCenter is not configured in Enhanced Linked Mode (ELM); therefore, the same resolution steps should be followed.

Reference KB: The vCenter Server has Unknown Node health status and Incorrect Name under the Administration &gt; System Configuration page