Unable to enable IPFIX for vCenter data source in the VCF Operations for Networks 9.1

Products

• VCF Operations for Networks

Issue/Introduction

• Attempts to enable IPFIX/NetFlow for a vCenter Server data source in the VCF Operations UI fails or appears to succeed but later shows as being unconfigured (reverts to unselected).
• The NetFlow configuration at the VDS level in vCenter may not have been updated with the collector IP details.
• The vCenter Server may be version 8.x with a standard or non-VCF Enterprise license editions while VCF is version 9.1.x.
• The vCenter Server may be version 9.0.x while VCF is version 9.1.x.
• The /var/log/arkin/restapilayer/restapilayer.STDOUT.<date>.log on the VCF Operations for Networks platform node shows the following errors pertaining to the license.
  
  

  YYYY-MM-DDT11:15:42.649Z INFO restapilayer 37032 [netw@4413 class="settings.licensing.KeylessLicensingHelper" thread="KeylessLicensingVCFValidityChecker-0" method="isFunctioningVCF9VC" line="573"] VC with dpId: VCENTER_Datasource_FQDN is NOT a functioning VCF v9 VC.
   
  YYYY-MM-DDT11:15:42.649Z INFO restapilayer 37032 [netw@4413 class="settings.licensing.KeylessLicensingHelper" thread="KeylessLicensingVCFValidityChecker-0" method="isFunctioningVCF9VCPresent" line="561"] No functioning VCF v9 VC was found.
  
  YYYY-MM-DDT11:15:42.649Z INFO restapilayer 37032 [netw@4413 class="settings.licensing.KeylessLicensingHelper" thread="KeylessLicensingVCFValidityChecker-0" method="isVCDataCollectionAllowed" line="513"] Data collection is NOT allowed for non v9 VCF VCs while in mode: VCF_LICENSED
  
  YYYY-MM-DDT11:15:42.664Z INFO restapilayer 37032 [netw@4413 class="settings.licensing.KeylessLicensingHelper" thread="KeylessLicensingVCFValidityChecker-0" method="updateVCDataCollectionStatus" line="701"] Stopping DS with dpId: VCENTER_Datasource_FQDN for cid: ####

Environment

• VMware Cloud Foundation (VCF) 9.1.x
• VCF Operations for Networks 9.1.x

Cause

VCF Operations for Networks 9.1 requires that a licensed vCenter Server 9.1 be configured as a data source in VCF Operations. The application of a license against VCF Operations for Networks is completed via this configuration. If none of the vCenter Servers configured for "Activate Network and Flow Collection" meet this requirement, VCF Operations for Networks remains unlicensed and the IPFIX data collection functionality cannot be enabled.

Resolution

A valid license must be applied to at least one 9.1 vCenter Server in VCF Operations and that vCenter Server must then be configured as a data source for VCF Operations for Networks ("Activate Network and Flow Collection" in VCF Operations). This does not need to be the same vCenter Server where IPFIX data collection has been failing.