vSAN File Service Node Power On Fails With License Expired Error

Products

• VMware vSAN

Issue/Introduction

When enabling vSAN File Services or initiating virtual machine operations (such as live migrations or power-on tasks for File Service Virtual Machines - FSVMs) on a cluster with a valid license, tasks fail with a license expiration error.

The following error string is logged in vsanfs.mgmt or vSphere Client task details:

PyCppVmomi.vim.fault.LicenseExpired: (vim.fault.LicenseExpired) {
   msg = 'License key has expired.',
   message = 'License Expired, Check system date or install a new license.'
}

Environment

 

• VMware ESXi 8.0.x

• VMware vSAN 8.0.x (vSAN File Service enabled)

• VMware vCenter Server 8.0.x

 

Cause

 

• Connect to the affected ESXi host via SSH as root.

• Update the timestamp on the host licensing configuration file and force hostd to re-evaluate local licensing:

   

  touch /etc/vmware/license.cfg
  vim-cmd vimsvc/license --show
  

• If the license state remains invalid, restart the ESXi host management daemon:

   

  /etc/init.d/hostd restart
  

• If updating /etc/vmware/license.cfg and restarting hostd does not resolve the deployment failure, disable and re-enable the vSAN File Service from the cluster configuration view to force a full re-initialization of the File Service Virtual Machines (FSVMs).

 

Resolution

Broadcom KB Article: KB 389204