VAMI Login Fails With Authentication Handler Unidentifiable C++ Exception During vCenter Upgrade

Products

• VMware vSphere ESXi

Issue/Introduction

If you attempt to log into the vCenter Server Appliance Management Interface (VAMI) on port 5480 using the [e-mail] Single Sign-On (SSO) account, the login fails. The user interface displays the following error message: "Exception in invoking authentication handler unidentifiable C++ exception".

This behavior occurs while an active vCenter Server upgrade or patch installation is in progress.

Environment

VMware vCenter Server

Cause

During a vCenter Server upgrade, the lifecycle management framework temporarily shuts down core vCenter identity services, including the VMware Directory Service (vmdird) and Secure Token Service (STS). Because the VAMI (applmgmt service) relies entirely on these offline services to validate SSO credentials, the authentication handler fails to connect to the backend identity provider and generates an unhandled C++ exception.

Resolution

1. Navigate to the vCenter Server Appliance Management Interface (VAMI) on port 5480.

2. Authenticate using the local appliance root credentials. The root account bypasses the vSphere SSO domain and authenticates directly against the local Linux OS Pluggable Authentication Modules (PAM).

3. Monitor the upgrade progress via the root session.

4. Wait for the upgrade to complete and for the core identity services (vmdird and STS) to fully initialize. Once the services are online, SSO authentication capabilities for [e-mail] will automatically be restored.

Additional Information

If you cannot authenticate using the local appliance root account, verify that the local root password has not expired. Refer to Broadcom KB 332308.