Error: "Not authorized for the requested operation" when configuring a subscribed content library

Products

• VMware vCenter Server

Issue/Introduction

When attempting to link a new content library subscriber with an existing publisher that requires a password, the connection fails to authenticate. All existing subscribers use that publisher without issue.

• When retrieving the password from the published content library by going to Content Libraries, selecting the published content library, clicking Actions > Edit Settings, and then selecting the eye icon next to Password under Authentication, the password displays as dummyP@ssw0rd
  
  
• When attempting to configure a subscribed content library from Content Libraries > Create > Create and entering the URL for the published content library, selecting Enable authentication, and entering the password
  dummyP@ssw0rd, clicking Next results in the following error: Not authorized for the requested operation
  
  
• In the vCenter Server /var/log/vmware/content-library/cls.log file, the following error is observed:
  
  VcspClientImpl | error executing vcsp request GET https://<FQDN of published content library>/cls/vcsp/lib/########-####-####-####-####-########/lib.json HTTP/1.1, status line is HTTP/1.1 401 Unauthorized

Environment

• VMware vCenter Server 8.x

Cause

Clicking the eye icon next to Password under Authentication does not show the actual password. The value dummyP@ssw0rd is a placeholder. Clicking the eye icon will only show an actual value if you have just typed in a password during the current session.

Resolution

You cannot retrieve the password from the Content Libraries user interface; it must be known or reset if lost.

To resolve this issue, perform one of the following actions:

1. Retrieve the correct password from your password list and use it to configure the subscriber.

2. Change the password of the published content library by following the steps in this article: Change content library password on vCenter via VCDB if lost or forgotten.