Virtual Machine OVF Template Export fails with error "A general system error occurred: com.vmware.vim.sms:sms"

Products

• VMware vCenter Server

Issue/Introduction

 

• When attempting to export a Virtual Machine as an OVF template (Right-click VM -> Template -> Export OVF Template), the task fails.

• The following error is observed in the vSphere Client: Failed to export OVF package. ThrowableProxy.cause A general system error occurred: An error occurred: com.vmware.vim.sms:sms

• The following trace is recorded in /var/log/vmware/vsphere-ui/logs/vsphere_client_virgo.log:
  

  [YYYY-MM-DDT HH:MM:SS.###+HH:HH] [ERROR] http-nio-5090-exec-# ####### ###### ###### c.v.v.client.libraryItem.impl.LibraryItemExportMutationProvider Received a list of OVFError: [OvfError (com.vmware.vcenter.ovf.ovf_error) => {
      category = SERVER,
      error = InternalServerError (com.vmware.vapi.std.errors.internal_server_error) => {
          messages = [LocalizableMessage (com.vmware.vapi.std.localizable_message) => {
              id = com.vmware.vdcs.util.unhandled_error,
              defaultMessage = An error occurred: com.vmware.vim.sms:sms,
              args = [com.vmware.vim.sms:sms]
          }],
          errorType = INTERNAL_SERVER_ERROR
      }
  }]

• The vCenter Server Storage Providers page may appear empty, and the "Synchronize Storage Providers" task fails reporting the below error:
  

  Log file: /var/log/vmware/vsphere-ui/vsphere_client_virgo.log
  
  [YYYY-MM-DDT HH:MM:SS.###+HH:HH]  [ERROR] http-nio-5090-exec-6         70000067 100005 200003 com.vmware.vsphere.client.sms.impl.SmsMutationProvider
    Failed to resynchronize vsan storage providers java.lang.NullPointerException: null
          at com.vmware.vsphere.client.sms.impl.SmsServiceFactory.lookupSmsURI(SmsServiceFactory.java:250)
          at com.vmware.vsphere.client.sms.impl.SmsServiceFactory.connectSmsService(SmsServiceFactory.java:184)
          at com.vmware.vsphere.client.sms.util.SmsSessionUtil.getService(SmsSessionUtil.java:82)
          at com.vmware.vsphere.client.sms.util.SmsSessionUtil.getService(SmsSessionUtil.java:45)
          at com.vmware.vsphere.client.sms.impl.SmsMutationProvider.apply(SmsMutationProvider.java:159)

 

Environment

vCenter Server 7.x

vCenter Server 8.x

Cause

The issue occurs because the Storage Management Service (SMS) registration is missing or corrupted within the vCenter Server Lookup Service.

The vSphere Client is unable to discover the necessary storage endpoints to process the OVF export.

Resolution

To resolve this issue, the Lookup Service registrations must be rebuilt using the lsdoctor tool.

1. Download the lsdoctor tool from the Broadcom Knowledge Base, Using the 'lsdoctor' Tool

2. Upload the script to the vCenter Server Appliance (VCSA).

3. Run the tool with the rebuild parameter to restore the missing com.vmware.vim.sms service registration: python lsdoctor.py --rebuild

4. Restart the vCenter Server services. service-control --stop --all && service-control --start --all

5. Verify the Storage Providers are now visible in the vSphere Client and retry the OVF export.

Additional Information

Using the 'lsdoctor' Tool