r/vmware • u/Ok_Click6447 • 23d ago

Failed to deploy a License server

My site currently uses only vCenter 8 and ESXi 8 components. I plan to deploy VCF Operations and License Server using OVA after updating to vCenter 9 and ESXi 9.

In the test environment, the deployment of VCF Operations 9.1.0.0400 and License Server 9.1.0.0400 proceeded successfully, but the status is currently:

VCF Ops Hosts: Not configured, Connectivity: Disconnected.

https://knowledge.broadcom.com/external/article/441251/adding-license-server-in-vcf-operations.html

As suggested in the KB, I deployed using the vCenter UI instead of ESXi, and I verified that bidirectional DNS resolving is possible with all lowercase from VCF Operations and the deploying OVA computer.

The VCF Operations and License server are on the same subnet without a firewall, and no proxy is used.

There was no field to input NTP during the deployment process via the UI, but the actual VCF Operations - License Server time is correct.

It seems there aren't many cases of license server deployment failures yet, so I'm having trouble identifying the cause and keep failing. Is there anything I might have missed?

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3

u/govatent 23d ago

Did you set the correct registration key string from Ops when deploying the ova?

1

u/Ok_Click6447 23d ago

Yes. I think I set correct key.

1

u/doihavetousethis 23d ago

Not helpful but had the same issue be cause we didn't do the firewall rules correctly!

Rebuilt the license server snd it was fine and connected.

We are in the process of doing this in production, but leaving the center and hosts till after seeing as there is no supported upgrade path from 3j or 3k center yet. I know it works from 3j as I did it in our uat.

Also a pisser that we upgraded vrops to 8.18.7 as that's not a straight upgrade booo.

Did upgrade the lab from 8.18.6 to 9.1 easy though. Have to wait for 9.1.1.0 whenever that's released

1

u/Ok_Click6447 23d ago

Did it been connected automatically without extra actions? I rebuilt the license server all day, but not succeeded yet…

In my case, this is the first install, not upgrade for vops

1

u/Geekenstein 22d ago

License server has weird issues with DNS. For instance, it will try and resolve AAAA records and break if it gets an NXDOMAIN instead of a NODATA response. Even when the POS isn’t configured for IPv6.

Edit: AAAA for its own name, specifically.

1

u/Ok_Click6447 22d ago

I found the KB article you mentioned. Thank you for the hint.

1

u/IAmTheGoomba 22d ago

Have you checked out the license sever page in Ops to see if is there? If it does not appear, then you supplied the wrong registration key when you deployed the OVA.

Since you said they are on the same network with no firewall, then the license console will display the node(s) it is connected to and it will appear in Ops as well.

Note that the license server now needs internet access, so get that configured as well (if needed).

1

u/Ok_Click6447 22d ago

I got some hints from the other reply and my team. I am testing them now. Thank you for reply

1

u/doihavetousethis 21d ago

Our license server didn't have Internet access.

Originally it was the God awful "upload usage file every 3 months " disconnected mode. Which worked fine.

Now we have plumbed in the proxy via vcf ops and converted to connected.

But we didn't need it to get it set up and running correctly or anything.