a custom HTTP port causes service health problems in vCenter 5.0

3 min read

During the vCenter installation process you can config a custom http port. This can be needed because of security policies or if a other service uses port 80, but it leads to errors afterwards. The vCenter service health status will show errors for the Storage Monitoring Service and the Storage Policy Service. I have expierenced that error during the Proof of Concept for the upgrade from vSphere 4.1 to 5.0 in the last year. I could solve that problem with the VMware Support and meanwhile they have published the Knowledge Base article Installing vCenter Server with custom HTTP ports… The reason for the problem is that the installer does not add the custom port to the configuration files of SMS and SPS. I show you how the errors look like and how to solve the problem.

1.-config-custom-http-port-during-installation-300x167

The vCenter installer provides the option to change the connection ports of the vCenter services. In my example i have changed the http port to 82. You will receive a warning if you do this, but later the installer forgets it’s own warning.

2.-service-status-error-for-sps-and-sms-300x143

After the installation you will SMS and SPS service health errors in the vCenter Service Status window.

3.-sms-extension-xml-folder-300x193

Go into the SMS configuration folder to add the port to the url. In a default installation it is

C:\Program Files\VMware\Infrastructure\VirtualCenter Server\extensions\com.vmware.vim.sms

4.-change-http-port-in-sms-extension-xml-300x167

Open the extension.xml with an editor and add the custom port to the SMS service health url.

http://localhost/sms/health.xml to http://localhost:82/sms/health.xml

5.-sps-extension-xml-folder-300x193

Go into the SPS configuration folder to add the port to the url. In a default installation it is

C:\Program Files\VMware\Infrastructure\VirtualCenter Server\extensions\com.vmware.vim.sps

6.-change-http-port-in-sps-extension-xml-300x164

Open the extension.xml with an editor and add the custom port to the SPS service health url.

http://localhost/sps/health.xml to http://localhost:82/sps/health.xml

7.-restart-vCenter-services-300x266

Restart the vCenter services or reboot the vCenter machine.

net stop "VMware vSphere Profile-Driven Storage Service"
net stop "vCenter Inventory Service"
net stop "VMware VirtualCenter Management Webservices"
net stop "VMware VirtualCenter Server"
net stop "VMwareVCMSDS"

net start "VMwareVCMSDS"
net start "VMware VirtualCenter Server"
net start "VMware VirtualCenter Management Webservices"
net start "vCenter Inventory Service"
net start "VMware vSphere Profile-Driven Storage Service"

8.-service-status-errors-resolved-for-sps-and-sms

Check the vCenter Service Status window for the solved errors. All checks now should be green.

Let’s see if this problem is fixed in vSphere 5.1. I will do another test if 5.1 has been released…

2012/09/11 Update:

9.-no-service-status-problems-in-vsphere-51-300x189

Today i have tested the vSphere 5.1 release to see if the problem is solved. As the screenshot shows. In a new installation of vSphere 5.1 the service status problems with a custom http port are gone.

http://localhost:8080/sms/health.xml and http://localhost:21200/sps/health.xml

are now configured by the installer.

2014/09/24 Update:

The Port bug is back for the SMS component in vCenter 5.5 U2. Maybe other versions between 5.1 and 5.5 U2 are also affected.