Newly deployed License Server not showing up under the License Server tab in VCF Operations

Products

• VCF Operations/Automation (formerly VMware Aria Suite)
• VCF Operations
• VMware Cloud Foundation
• VMware vSphere Foundation

Issue/Introduction

• After deploying a new License Server, the appliance does not appear under the License Server tab within the VCF Operations UI.

• The issue specifically occurs when the License Server OVA is deployed directly via the ESXi host client rather than through the vCenter Server. Observing the License Server virtual machine console reveals the following unconfigured state:

Environment

• VMware Cloud Foundation 9.1
• VMware vSphere Foundation (VVF) 9.1
• VCF Operations 9.1

Cause

This issue can be caused by any of the following factors:

1. Deployment Method: Deploying the License Server OVA directly via the ESXi host client instead of through the vCenter Server OVF wizard. This bypasses vApp property injection.
2. DNS Naming Conventions: VCF 9.1 components may fail to communicate if DNS records contain uppercase characters or if forward/reverse (PTR) records are mismatched.
3. Case Sensitivity: The VCF Ops ID and Registration Key are strictly case-sensitive. Auto-capitalization during entry will cause token validation failure.
4. NTP Time Skew: A time drift exceeding 5 minutes between the VCF Operations node and the License Server prevents security token validation.
5.  Incorrect Hostname: The active instance of VCF Operations is currently deployed and  configured using an incorrect hostname 

Resolution

To resolve this issue, delete the incorrectly deployed appliance and redeploy it through vCenter using the following requirements:

Step 1: Prepare Environment

1. Log in to the vCenter Server UI.

2. Locate the incorrectly deployed License Server VM, right-click it, and select Power > Power Off.

3. Once powered off, right-click the VM and select Delete from Disk to completely remove it.

4. Verify DNS configuration on the DNS server. Ensure all A and PTR records for VCF Operations and the License Server use lowercase naming conventions strictly.

5. Ensure accurate time synchronization across both VCF Operations and the destination host for the License Server. Ensure in NTP configuration the time drift remains near zero across the management stack.

Step 2: Redeploy Appliance

1. Download the latest License Server appliance OVA from the Broadcom Support Portal.
2. In the vCenter UI, right-click the target cluster or host and select Deploy OVF Template.
3. Follow the wizard prompts. Ensure all vApp properties, including networking and the VCF Operations Registration Key, are fully populated.
4. When entering the Registration Key, use copy/paste to ensure case sensitivity is maintained and to avoid auto-capitalization errors.
5. Power on the appliance and wait 5–10 minutes for the registration heartbeat to sync with VCF Operations.

 

For software downloads, see Download Broadcom Products and Software.

If the issue persists, contact Broadcom Support.

Additional Information

Related Knowledge Base Articles:

• VCF Operations 9.1 fails to detect License Server due to DNS Resolution — Detailed impact of PTR record mismatches on detection.
•  License assignment failure due to incorrect license server configuration in VCF 9.1 on VCF 9.1 due to vCenter UUID case mismatch — Troubleshooting 403 Forbidden errors caused by uppercase identifiers.
• How to subscribe to a Knowledge Management (KM) article

Product Documentation:

• Add and Register an Additional License Server (TechDocs)