Intermittent VASA Connectivity Alerts on Dell PowerStore After vCenter Certificate Replacement

Products

• VMware vCenter Server

Issue/Introduction

After replacing an expiring certificate on a VMware vCenter Server, a Dell PowerStore (e.g., PS1000T) storage array reports recurring connectivity alerts approximately every hour. 

* **Alert Behavior:** The connectivity alert triggers, persists for approximately two minutes, and then clears automatically, repeating in a cyclical pattern.
* **Error Logs (PowerStore):**
  `[ERROR] [integration.vsphere.adapter.impl.VMwareAdapterImpl] 'queryVasaVendorProviderStatusByUid': Operation failed. com.emc.cyclone.contexts.integration.vsphere.adapter.GeneralVCenterErrorException: Unable to connect. vCenter operation failed` 

Environment

vCenter 7.0

vCenter 8.0

Cause

Replacing the vCenter certificate breaks the mutual trust between the vCenter and the VASA Storage Provider. Even after restarting the `vmware-sps` service and attempting to re-register the provider, residual trust issues or session timeouts can cause intermittent polling failures. 

In environments where **Virtual Volumes (VVols)** or **Storage Policy-Based Management (SPBM)** features are not in use, these alerts are non-critical but persistent.

Resolution

If it is determined that the VASA connection is not required for the environment's storage operations, the connection can be disabled to stop the alerts.

This command will make changes to your system. Review it carefully before running.

1. Log in to the **vSphere Client**.
2. Navigate to the **vCenter Server** object.
3. Select the **Configure** tab.
4. Under **Storage**, select **Storage Providers**.
5. Locate the **Dell PowerStore VASA Provider** in the list.
6. Select the provider and click **Remove** (or **Disconnect/Disable** depending on your specific version and requirement to retain the configuration).
7. Confirm with your storage administrator that VASA-dependent features (like VVols) are indeed not in use before final removal.