License Server console displays a black screen during boot due to Docker network conflict in VCF 9.1

Products

• VCF Operations
• VMware Cloud Foundation
• VMware vSphere Foundation

Issue/Introduction

• After deploying the VCF 9.1 License Server and booting it, only a black screen is deployed on the console.

• Applying the activation code generated from the VCF Business Services Console (BSC) results in the following error:

  Failed to complete the registration. Please try again. If this error persists, contact support.

  On the Business Services Console, the registration for the tenant shows under upgradation. When clicking on Continue, its observed that the process already passed the Apply activation code phase but remains stuck in the Add licenses to license server phase, which displays Registration in process.

   

• The following errors are observed in the /storage/vcops/log/api.log file:

  ERROR api [ops@<REDACTED_ID>] - Controller API call 'completeRegistration' has failed! Reason = [Failed to complete registration.]
  WARN api [ops@<REDACTED_ID>] - Caught exception [ControllerExecutionException]
  ERROR api [ops@<REDACTED_ID>] [license.usage.AbstractLicenseUsageBaseHandler.handleControllerException] - LicenseCloudIntegrationController: LicenseUsageException caught before sending response.
  com.vmware.ops.api.common.exceptions.Exceptions$ControllerExecutionException: Internal Server error, cause unknown.

• The license server appliance is deployed in a network using the IP address range of 172.16.0.0/12 (any IP address from 172.16.0.1 to 172.31.255.254) or is deployed with a gateway that has a routable path of 172.17.0.0/16.
• Registering VCF Operations in connected mode shows the error message "Your license servers are still pending registration. Refresh to update the status." 
• Registering VCF Operations in disconnected mode and importing a verification file, shows the error message "The verification file is invalid. Generate a new verification file in the VCF Business Services console and upload it here."

Environment

• VMware Cloud Foundation 9.1
• VMware vSphere Foundation 9.1

Cause

The license server appliance’s use of an internal Docker bridge network is not able to function when detecting a conflict with the 172.17.0.0/16 routable path from the gateway.

Resolution

This is a known issue with VVF / VCF 9.1.0 and is fixed in License Server 9.1.0.0200  Build 25499768. Refer to VCF Operations 9.1.0.0200 Release Notes for details.   See Download Broadcom products and software for steps to download this release.

If you have already deployed license server 9.1.0, you will need to deploy a new license server of version 9.1.0.0200 or higher to fix this issue.  Add and Register an Additional License Server.