Registration Fails with "AnsAssetError" on vDefend License Hub

Products

• VMware vDefend Firewall
• VMware vDefend Firewall with Advanced Threat Prevention
• VMware Avi Load Balancer

Issue/Introduction

When attempting to register the vDefend License Hub to the Avi Cloud Console, the registration process fails to complete, exhibiting the following symptoms:

• License Hub UI: Under Registration & Reporting, the status remains stuck as "Unlicensed" with no explicit error or alarm generated in the interface.

• Avi Cloud Console UI: Navigating to [Your Site] > License Management > Licenses displays the message: "We couldn't find any associated Licenses."

• Disconnected Mode: Attempting a disconnected registration via a downloaded registration key(on the Avi Cloud Console) throws the error: AnsAssetError : Failed to register ANS Asset.

  How to Check the Error Logs

  To confirm if you are hitting this specific database entitlement issue, inspect the licensing-service logs by following these steps:

  1. Log into the License Hub Installer (SSP-I 5.1.2 VM) via SSH/CLI using the sysadmin username and password.

  2. Locate the specific licensing service pod by running the following command:

     k get pods -n nsxi-platform | grep licensing-service
     

  3. Copy the full pod name from the command output, then fetch its logs using:

     k -n nsxi-platform logs <copied-pod-name>
     

     (Tip: You can pipe the output to grep or less to quickly scan for the error message).

  4. Look for the following signature error log:

     Parsed Pulse error response {"errorMessage": "AnsAssetError: Failed to find Asset in the DB.", "status":"ERROR"}

   

   

Environment

 

• vDefend License Hub 5.1.2

• Avi Cloud Console

 

Cause

This issue occurs if the user account logged into the Avi Cloud Console and executing the registration lacks the necessary "Licenses" entitlement for that specific enterprise within the Broadcom Support Portal.

The backend registration workflow queries the enterprise database based on the active user's session privileges.

If the user does not have permission to view or manage licenses for the account, the database lookup fails, triggering the AnsAssetError and leaving the License Hub unregistered.

Resolution

To resolve this issue, you must use a user account with the appropriate entitlements or update your current account privileges.

1. Identify an Entitled User: Have a colleague who possesses full enterprise administrator or licensing privileges on the Broadcom Support Portal log into the Avi Cloud Console.

2. Rerun Registration: Execute the License Hub registration process using that entitled account.

3. Verify Status: Confirm that the status switches to registered/licensed and that your entitlements populate correctly in the console UI.

Alternative / Long-term Fix: If the primary administrator must complete the registration, follow these steps to request the appropriate access:

1. Log into the Broadcom Support Portal.

2. Navigate to My Entitlements.

3. Verify if your profile has access to the Licenses tab for the targeted enterprise. If missing, submit an access request to your company's portal administrator to append the licensing role to your profile.