Troubleshooting VMware credentials

If Auvik is unable to authenticate to a VMware host or vCenter instance, you can use the Discovery Troubleshooting workflow to identify which requirement is preventing successful communication.

To access troubleshooting:

1. Open the device from the Device Dashboard.
2. Hover over Discovery in the entity navigation menu.
3. Click Troubleshooting.

Auvik verifies four requirements before a device can be successfully authenticated using VMware credentials.

Step 1: Verify the Device Is Managed

Auvik can only collect information from devices that are managed.

If the device is currently unmanaged:

1. Click Re-enable Management.
2. Change the management status from Unmanaged to Managed.
3. Click Save.

Note: If the device was recently unmanaged, discovery and monitoring may take several minutes to resume after it has been re-enabled.

Step 2: Verify the VMware Service Is Enabled

The VMware service must be enabled before Auvik can communicate with VMware hosts and vCenter servers.

To enable the VMware service:

1. Click Enable the VMware Service.
2. Set Enabled to Yes, use this service to gather data.
3. Click Save.

If the VMware service is enabled globally but the device is excluded from the service:

1. Click Add this device to the VMware service group.
2. Add the device name or device type to Devices to use this service.
3. Remove any exclusions that apply to the device or device type.
4. Click Save.

Tip: The VMware service must be both enabled and assigned to the device. A globally enabled service will not collect data from devices that are explicitly excluded.

Step 3: Verify the VMware API Is Accessible

VMware monitoring relies on API communication over HTTPS.

For successful authentication:

• The VMware host or vCenter server must be online.
• HTTPS access must be enabled.
• The Auvik collector must be able to reach the VMware management interface.
• Firewalls or ACLs must allow communication between the collector and the VMware host.

If the VMware device uses a non-standard HTTPS port:

1. Click Add a New Custom Port.
2. Set Use Default Ports to No – Custom Ports.
3. Enter the appropriate port number.
4. Click + to add additional ports if required.
5. Click Save.

Note: VMware API communication typically uses TCP port 443.

Verify VMware Access

Before proceeding, confirm that you can:

• Open the VMware Host Client or vCenter web interface.
• Authenticate successfully using the same credentials configured in Auvik.
• Access inventory information through the VMware interface.

Step 4: Verify VMware Credentials

Auvik requires valid VMware credentials to collect inventory and performance information.

To add or update credentials:

1. Click Add VMware Credentials.
2. Complete the credential form.
3. Enter the username and password.
4. Assign the credential to the appropriate host, vCenter, or site.
5. Click Save VMware Credentials.

Permission Requirements

The VMware account should have sufficient permissions to:

• View host information
• View virtual machine inventory
• Access performance statistics
• Access configuration information

For standalone ESXi hosts, a read-only role is typically sufficient.

For vCenter environments, VMware recommends assigning a dedicated monitoring account with the minimum permissions required for inventory and performance collection.

Common Credential Issues

If authentication fails:

• Verify the username and password are correct.
• Confirm the account is not locked or disabled.
• Verify the account has sufficient permissions.
• Confirm the credential is assigned to the correct host or vCenter instance.
• Verify HTTPS access is available from the collector.

Authentication Successful

Congratulations! The device has been successfully authenticated using VMware credentials.

Auvik will begin collecting available VMware information, which may include:

• Host inventory
• Virtual machine inventory
• Hardware information
• Configuration details
• Performance metrics

Depending on polling intervals and the size of the VMware environment, newly collected information may take several minutes to appear in Auvik.