"VMDir replication is not working between partners / Vmdir service is not in Normal state", vCenter Server upgrade pre-check fails due to VMDIR in Standalone mode

Products

• VMware vCenter Server

Issue/Introduction

• vCenter Server update/upgrade pre-check fails during VMDIR replication status check with below error message
  

  Error
VMDir replication is not working between partners.

Resolution
The state of VMDir is not Normal on vCenter servers - <VC FQDN> (Standalone). Make sure VMDir state is Normal on all the vCenter servers and replication is working before continuing. For vCenter servers with VMDir state as "Read-Only" and "Failure" refer https://knowledge.broadcom.com/external/article/312122 and with VMDir state as “Standalone” refer KB https://knowledge.broadcom.com/external/article/369151.



• Validating the VMDIR Arguments in Likewise registry shows the value "-m standalone"
  

  /opt/likewise/bin/lwregshell list_values '[HKEY_THIS_MACHINE\Services\vmdir]' | grep "Arguments"

  +  "Arguments"         REG_SZ          "/usr/lib/vmware-vmdir/sbin/vmdird -s -l 0 -f /usr/lib/vmware-vmdir/share/config/vmdirschema.ldif -m standalone"

Environment

• vCenter Server 8.x
• vCenter 9.x

Resolution

Perform below steps to resolve the issue :

• Take Powered off snapshot of all the vCenter Servers in the same vSphere Domain
• Login to the VCSA via SSH
• Modify the likewise registry to update the value using below command depending on vCenter Server versions, this will remove the "-m standalone" switch:
  
  For any version below 8.0 U3:
  /opt/likewise/bin/lwregshell set_value '[HKEY_THIS_MACHINE\Services\vmdir]' "Arguments" "/usr/lib/vmware-vmdir/sbin/vmdird -s -l 0 -f /usr/lib/vmware-vmdir/share/config/vmdirschema.ldif"
  
  For 8.0 U3 and above versions (including 9.x):
  /opt/likewise/bin/lwregshell set_value '[HKEY_THIS_MACHINE\Services\vmdir]' "Arguments" "/usr/lib/vmware-vmdir/sbin/vmdird -l 0 -f /usr/lib/vmware-vmdir/share/config/vmdirschema.ldif -L /var/log/vmware/vmdird/vmdird.log"
  
  
  
• Refresh the Likewise registry using below command
  
  /opt/likewise/bin/lwsm refresh
  
  
• Change VMDIR state to NORMAL
  
  /usr/lib/vmware-vmafd/bin/dir-cli state set --state NORMAL --login administrator --password <password>
  
  
• Check the VMDIR replication using vdcrepadmin
  
  /usr/lib/vmware-vmdir/bin/vdcrepadmin -f showpartnerstatus -h localhost -u administrator
  
  
• Continue with the vCenter Server lifecycle operation if the replication status shows "0 changed behind"