ESXi upgrade via VCF Operations 9.1.x UI fails with error 'The current vCenter Server is not licensed by a licensing server. Go to VCF operations to view license server details.'

Products

• VCF Operations/Automation (formerly VMware Aria Suite)

Issue/Introduction

• ESXi upgrade via VCF Operations UI displays the following error:
  
  'The current vCenter Server is not licensed by a licensing server. Go to VCF operations to view license server details.'


• Under Manage -> Licensing -> Licenses & Registration, the license server is in connected state.
  
  
• Under Licenses & Registration -> VCF Operations Registration -> License Servers -> <license-server-id> -> Licensed Assets, the affected vCenter has 0 hosts under assets.
  
  
• On the vSphere Client, the following message is seen in the error banner:
  
  'The following vCenter instance has a license not assigned by the VCF Operations instance that manages it: <vCenter_FQDN>. To avoid service interruption, assign a license from the VCF Operations instance that currently manages it.'

Environment

VMware Cloud Foundation 9.1.x

Resolution

Delete and recreate the adapter for the vCenter by following the steps below:

1. Log in to VCF Operations GUI as admin user.
2. Navigate to Operate -> Administration -> Integrations -> Accounts -> VMware Cloud Foundation.
3. Find the adapter for the affected vCenter.
4. Click on the 3 dots on the adapter -> 'Delete'. DO NOT check the box for "Delete related objects".
5. Re-add the adapter for the vCenter using Configuring a vCenter Account in VCF Operations.
6. Once added, click on the 3 dots on the adapter -> 'Start Collecting'.
7. Wait for 15-20 minutes and restart the upgrade for the ESXi hosts.