VMware has released an updated version of vCenter Server, v5.1.0b. You can find the whole readme here. According to the readme, vCenter Server 5.1.0b is not a patch release. For more information you can find the release notes here. The release notes are particularly enlightening, as you can find all of the fixed bugs. If you have tried to install vCenter 5.1.0a and ran into problems, then give 5.1.0b a try and see how it goes.
Two important bug fixes are in 5.1.0b, which I’ve personally encountered:
vCenter Single Sign On installation fails with error 20020
vCenter Single Sign On installation fails with the following error when you select the destination folder to install the software:
Error 20020. Failed to update values in server.xml file
This issue occurs when you attempt to install vCenter Single Sign On on a folder with spaces, for which no short name exists. To verify this, run the dir /x command in the parent folder of the folder with spaces.
This issue is resolved in this release
Installation of vCenter Single Sign On fails if the database name contains a hyphen
When the Microsoft SQL Server database name contains a hyphen, (for example SSO-DB), vCenter Single Sign On installation fails with the following error:
Error 29114.Cannot connect to DB
This issue is resolved in this release.
vSphere 5.1 Install Series
If you want a full guide to installing vSphere 5.1, check out my 15-part installation guide which walks you through the whole process.
The upgrade process from 5.1.0a to 5.1.0b appears to be smooth. I ran down the list of installers on the splash screen: vCenter Single Sign On, VMware vCenter Inventory Service, VMware vCenter Server, VMware vSphere Client, and VMware vSphere Web Client. When I ran the VMware vSphere Update Manager installer, it offered to remove the software, so I cancelled. Apparently there is no change in the VUM from 5.1.0a to 5.1.0b. Subsequent installations of the vSphere Client on a couple of workstations also ran smoothly. vCenter appeared to be working normally in the aftermath. There were no apparent problems with… Read more »
vCenter Single Signon Failure after Windows Update. vCenter 5.1 is becoming a recurring nightmare. Apparently if the SSO service decides that the underlying system has “changed” in some significant way, it stops until its security is manually reset. Of course without SSO working, the vCenter server service doesn’t work either. This can occur after applying Windows updates and restarting, as I discovered after this week’s patch Tuesday. The issue and a workaround are described at http://kb.vmware.com/kb/2036170 “After making a change or restarting Single Sign On server system, vCenter Server 5.1.x fails to start”. One additional caveat that I found: the… Read more »
Nothing has worked for me so far in getting this stupid component installed. I still get the error 29114 Cannot connect to DB. This IS with the latest build: 947939
I can’t believe this passed QA.
@Grunt01: What QA? That department has been completely lacking in 5.1. Are you trying to use SSL with SQL or just a “normal” JDBC connection?