vSphere Replication Configuration fails with Error - unable to acquire token from SSO server at https://xxxxxxx

Products

• VMware vSphere ESXi

Issue/Introduction

Symptoms:

• While performing Configuration below error found,

  

• Error - Unable to acquire taken from SSO Server at 'https://##.##.##.##/sso-adminserver/sdl/vsphere.local'.

Environment

VMware vSphere Replication 8.x

VMware vSphere Replication 9.x

VMware Site Recovery Manager 8.x

VMware Live Recovery

Cause

Time is not in sync between the appliances (VR, SRM & vCenter/PSC)

• /var/log/vmware/dr-client/dr.log :

2025-04-08 12:15:16,834 [srm-reactive-thread-125] WARN com.vmware.srm.client.infrastructure.http.BaseAsyncController 6b122e2d-121e-4148-8c85-e99004c0e13a - Request for path 'webssologin' failed.

com.vmware.srm.client.topology.impl.vmomi.TokenProvider$AcquireTokenFailed: Unable to acquire token from SSO Server at 'https:/xxxxxxxxxxxx/sso-adminserver/sdk/vsphere.local'.

Caused by: com.vmware.vim.sso.client.exception.InternalError: Failed trying to retrieve token: ns0:RequestFailed: EndTime: Mon Nov 06 18:10:50 GMT 2023 is not after startTime: Mon Nov 06 18:15:16 GMT 2023

• The Time between vCenter Server and vSphere Replication is out of sync causing it to fail to connect. This also fails to generate token due to time sync issue.

Resolution

Ensure timestamp on all SRM/VC/VR nodes are in sync 

• Open ssh to appliance and run:
       watch -d date -u
  
  
• Correct any NTP server settings, or reset the timestamps manually.
  
  
• Timestamps should not be out of sync by any more than 5 seconds. For reference, 

  Configure the System Time Zone and Time Synchronization Settings

  Configure the Time Zone and Time Synchronization Settings for the Site Recovery Manager Appliance

  Workaround

• If above step is configured using NTP but its still not working - Try moving all 2 nodes (VR & VC) to one host.
  
  
• Restart VR & SRM UI and check 

  or

     Use below command to manually change time on VR server same as vCenter server

• First run command on vSphere Replication SSH and vCenter Server SSH : date

         capture the result from above command.

       

• Secondly Run command : date -s 'use the same result as per "date" command' 

         Note: Please manually change the time as per vCenter server to execute command.