Unable to add vCenter to Usage Meter 3.6 after replacing the vCenter certificate

 Issue: Unable to add the vCenter endpoint to the usage meter due to certificate error

Error: There was a problem checking the certificate vCenter fqdn:443 .Unexpected exception :java.net.UnknownHostException:fqdn of vCenter

Actions performed: 

1.Checked the root certificate on the vCenter and machine SSL ,SAN names etc

2. Running an openssl command  from Usage meter using the IP address of the vCenter returns the certificate 

3. Running and opnessl command from Usage meter using the vCenter FQDN fails to resolve and unable to fetch the vCenter certificate.

Resolution :

1.SSH into the Usage Meter appliance using root

2.Took a backup of /etc/hosts file

3.Added the IP address and the FQDN of the vCenter after which vCenter was successfully added to the Usage Meter.

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Using Custom Certificates in Usage Meter 4.x

As we get to move on with customers and service providers asking to implement to use a secure web browser access to Usage Meter .The old versions of UM has methods to replace the certificates.

Beginning from 3.6.1 versions there is no official or supported methods to use a custom certificates for Usage Meter and we are still allowed with default certificates.

Recently we are receiving request from customer using their own internal or custom signed certificates for Usage Meter 4.x versions. It still in the road map and i believe it will be taken care in the upcoming versions.

I have tested in my lab since the Usage Meter 4.x version uses ngnix web servers so i found a possibility to replace the certificates.

Note: Its official not supported and no supported documentation available at this moment  and you have to repeat ever time you upgrade or patch the Usage Meter appliance make sure to take a snapshot or a valid backup before performing the steps

• Please take a snapshot of the Usage Meter Appliance
• Once you have the certificate and the key file generated from your CA
• Access the Usage Meter appliance via SSH using the root account
• Take a backup of the crt and key files from the location and copy the new crt and key files to     
• ssl_certificate /etc/ssl/certs/nginx-selfsigned.crt
• ssl_certificate_key /etc/ssl/private/nginx-selfsigned.key
• Edit the configuration file 
        vi /opt/vmware/cloudusagemetering/conf/nginx.conf  to match the crt and key location


    

Once the changes have been made make sure to give the usagemeter account full permissions to the directories crt,key,configuration files as shown below

 chown -R usagemeter /opt/vmware/cloudusagemetering/conf/nginx.conf

 chown -R usagemeter /etc/ssl/private/nginx-selfsigned.key

 chown -R usagemeter /etc/ssl/certs/nginx-selfsigned.crt

Once the permission has been provided the usagemeter account should be able to access the file

using the account so login into the UM appliance via SSH using usagemeter account

  chmod 777 /etc/ssl/certs/nginx-selfsigned.crt

  chmod 777 /etc/ssl/private/nginx-selfsigned.key

  chmod 777 /opt/vmware/cloudusagemetering/conf/nginx.conf

Finally reboot the appliance and verify the certificates on the https://IPaddress:8443 browser interface