"Error: Failed to deploy OVF package. Cause: A general system error occurred: Transfer failed: Invalid response code: 500" while deploying OVF template in vCenter

Products

• VMware vCenter Server

Issue/Introduction

• Import OVF failed due to "response code: 500"
• VMware vSphere Lifecycle Manager (vLCM) is failing to download patch definitions.

The core error message is:

"A general system error occurred: A depot is inaccessible or has invalid contents. Make sure an official depot source is used and verify connection to the depot."

• /var/log/vmware/vsphere-ui/logs/vsphere-client-virgo.log
  
  • [YYYY-MM-DDThh:mm:ss.###Z] [ERROR] sdk-plugin-deployer-23490      com.vmware.vise.plugin.status.RemotePluginStatusServiceImpl       DOWNLOAD_FAILED: Error downloading plugin package com.vmware.vrops.ui:9.0.2.0 from https://vRopsFQDN:443/vrops-unicorn/plugin.zip. Reason: URL is unreachable. Make sure that the URL is reachable.
[YYYY-MM-DDThh:mm:ss.###Z] [ERROR] sdk-plugin-deployer-23490      com.vmware.vise.plugin.extension.VcExtensionManager               Downloading plugin package: 'com.vmware.vrops.ui:9.0.2.0' registered in vCenter: 'VC fqdn####b292)' has failed. java.util.concurrent.CompletionException: com.vmware.vise.plugin.download.PluginDownloadException: org
    .apache.http.conn.ConnectTimeoutException: Connect to vRopsFQDN:443 [vRopsFQDN/##.##.##.##] failed: connect timed out

Environment

VMware vSphere ESXi 8.0.X

VMware vSphere ESXi 7.0.X

Cause

Network timeout/TCP handshake failure to the vROps (Aria operations) appliance over (port 443)

 

Resolution

• Establish an SSH session to the vCenter Server Appliance (VCSA) as root, enter the Bash shell, and run the following tests:

1. 1. Test URL Reachability:
      Determine if the application layer can access the remote .zip manifest artifact package:
      curl -v https://[vRops-IP-or-FQDN]:443/path/to/plugin.zip

   2. Verify Port Connectivity:
      Probe the transport layer over TCP port 443:
      nc -zv [vRops-IP] 443

• If the connection timed out but the integration is required within the HTML5 vSphere Client UI, please proceed with the following Firewall Optimization & Rule Validation:
  • Engage your internal Network Security administration team.
  • Create or validate an explicit Firewall/ACL authorization policy allowing outbound traffic from the vCenter IP to the destination vROps Appliance IP over Port 443
  • If applicable, verify that SSL/TLS inspection engines are not dropping the connection due to distrusted internal target certificates.