vmware-vmon fails to start with an error: "control process exited" after proxy file enabled and services restarted.

Products

• VMware vCenter Server

Issue/Introduction

When attempting to start services on the vCenter Server Appliance , the vmware-vmon service fails to start.

Error Snippet:

• Running service-control --start --all shows the following error:

root@VCFQDN [ /etc ]# service-control --start --all
Operation not cancellable. Please wait for it to finish...
Performing start operation on service lwsmd...
Successfully started service lwsmd
Performing start operation on service vmafdd...
Successfully started service vmafdd
Performing start operation on service vmdird...
Successfully started service vmdird
Performing start operation on service vmcad...
Successfully started service vmcad
Performing start operation on profile: ALL...
YYYY-MM-DDT03:59:28.217Z  RC = 1
Stdout =
Stderr = Job for vmware-vmon.service failed because the control process exited with error code.
See "systemctl status vmware-vmon.service" and "journalctl -xe" for details.

YYYY-MM-DDT03:59:28.217Z  {
    "detail": [
        {
            "id": "install.ciscommon.command.errinvoke",
            "translatable": "An error occurred while invoking external command : '%(0)s'",
            "args": [
                "Stderr: Job for vmware-vmon.service failed because the control process exited with error code.\nSee \"systemctl status vmware-vmon.service\" and \"journalctl -xe\" for details.\n"
            ],
            "localized": "An error occurred while invoking external command : 'Stderr: Job for vmware-vmon.service failed because the control process exited with error code.\nSee \"systemctl status vmware-vmon.service\" and \"journalctl -xe\" for details.\n'"
        }
    ],
    "componentKey": null,
    "problemId": null,
    "resolution": null
}
Service-control failed. Error: {
    "detail": [
        {
            "id": "install.ciscommon.service.failstart",
            "translatable": "An error occurred while starting service '%(0)s'",
            "args": [
                "vmware-vmon"
            ],
            "localized": "An error occurred while starting service 'vmware-vmon'"
        }
    ],
    "componentKey": null,
    "problemId": null,
    "resolution": null
}

 

• The system journal (journalctl -xe) will display errors similar to the following:

Month Date 18:25:53 vcfqdn systemd[1]: vmware-vmon.service: Found left-over process 10041 (python) in control group while starting unit. Ignoring.
Month Date 18:25:53 vcfqdn systemd[1]: This usually indicates unclean termination of a previous run, or service implementation deficiencies.
Month Date 18:25:53 vcfqdn systemd[1]: vmware-vmon.service: Found left-over process 11378 (python) in control group while starting unit. Ignoring.
Month Date 18:25:53 vcfqdn systemd[1]: This usually indicates unclean termination of a previous run, or service implementation deficiencies.
Month Date 18:25:53 vcfqdn systemd[1]: vmware-vmon.service: Found left-over process 11721 (python) in control group while starting unit. Ignoring.
Month Date 18:25:53 vcfqdn systemd[1]: This usually indicates unclean termination of a previous run, or service implementation deficiencies.
Month Date 18:25:53 vcfqdnb vmon.launcher[31747]: /etc/profile.d/proxy.sh: eval: line 11: unexpected EOF while looking for matching `"'
Month Date 18:25:53 vcfqdn vmon.launcher[31747]: /etc/profile.d/proxy.sh: eval: line 12: syntax error: unexpected end of file
Month Date 18:25:53 vcfqdn systemd[1]: vmware-vmon.service: Control process exited, code=exited, status=2/INVALIDARGUMENT

Environment

VMware vCenter Server

Cause

Proxy setup includes bad formatting of the proxy parameter.  Must have quotes around the address.

Example: HTTP_PROXY="http://example.com:3128/"

Resolution

Reboot the VCSA VM or restart service with the command:
Follow option 2 from How to configure Proxy Settings for vCenter Server

1. Open an SSH connection to the vCenter Server Appliance and log in as root
2. Navigate to the directory /etc/sysconfig/proxy:

   # cd /etc/sysconfig

3. Create a backup copy of the proxy configuration file (aptly named proxy):

   # cp proxy proxy.bak

4. Open the proxy configuration file using the VI editor:

   # vi proxy

5. Verify that all entries have double quote after the equals sign and at the end of the line. Example: HTTP_PROXY="http://example.com:3128/"
6. Reboot the VCSA VM or restart service with the command:

   # service-control --stop --all && service-control --start --all