vCenter Upgrade fails with Error: Error in method invocation Timeout happens while waiting for task to terminate - vCenter Server 9.1.0

Products

• VMware vCenter Server

Issue/Introduction

• When attempting to stage or install an upgrade for vCenter Server (specifically version 9.1.0.x) via the VAMI, the process fails during the pre-update checks.
• The following error is displayed in the UI:

Error in method invocation Timeout happens while waiting for task to terminate

• In the vCenter vlcm.log (located at /var/log/vmware/vlcm/vlcm.log), entries similar to the following are observed:

YYYY-MM-DDThh:mm:ss.sssZ INFO vlcm #### [vc@####] [depot/vvs_client.go:###] The request URL is :http://localhost:1080/external-os/http1/vvs.broadcom.com/443/v1/products/bundles/type/vcf-interop-bundle?format=json YYYY-MM-DDThh:mm:ss.sssZ INFO vlcm #### [vc@####] [depot/vvs_client.go:###] Received response: 503 Service Unavailable YYYY-MM-DDThh:mm:ss.sssZ ERROR vlcm #### [vc@####] [depot/vvs_client.go:###] Unable to get Product Interop Data: error_code: 500 error_message: received unexpected response 503

Environment

VCF 9.1.0.0

Cause

• The issue is caused by the VVS API endpoint (vvs.broadcom.com) being intermittently unavailable.
• This typically occurs due to environmental factors such as a proxy server or network security appliance interrupting the connection while the vCenter attempts to download the interoperability bundle.
• The 503 Service Unavailable response indicates the target endpoint or intermediate proxy is temporarily unable to handle the request.

Resolution

To resolve this issue, follow the steps below:

1. Retry the Operation: because the unavailability is intermittent, attempting the stage/install process multiple times in quick succession often allows the request to succeed when the network path is clear.
2. Verify Proxy Configuration: if retries do not resolve the issue, inspect the environmental proxy or firewall settings.
   • Ensure that vvs.broadcom.com is whitelisted for the vCenter Server.
   • Verify that the proxy is not terminating long-running connections or large JSON downloads prematurely.
3. Check VAMI Proxy Settings: ensure the proxy settings in the vCenter Management Interface (VAMI) under Networking > Proxy correctly reflect your environment's requirements.