Catalyst Center VA 2.3.7.4 install failing

Theo W · ‎11-01-2025

Trying to install Catalyst Center Virtual Appliance ver 2.3.7.4 to an ESXi 7 host. After the VM is created, I can go through the install and configuration steps without issue. However, after logging into the GUI, I'm greeted with a blank home screen. Clicking on the cloud icon, Catalst Center says that it is unable to reach Cisco. My firewall isn't blocking any traffic going out to Cisco. Any idea of whats going on here?

Thanks

balaji.bandi · ‎11-02-2025

check the DNS configuration and from command level internet access.

My firewall isn't blocking any traffic going out to Cisco

So you mean you see the traffic on Firewall from Cat C to internet ? do you have return route ?

Hope when you mentioned installed all good so all the packages installed as expected ?

I have installed don Esxi 8.0 all good :

https://www.balajibandi.com/?p=2515

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Theo W · ‎11-03-2025

> So you mean you see the traffic on Firewall from Cat C to internet ? do you have return route ?

Yes, I see traffic going out over the firewall. The routing is working as it should.

> Hope when you mentioned installed all good so all the packages installed as expected ?

One or two of the packages did not install correctly and are listed as "aborted". I have no idea as to why.

Thanks

Torbjørn · ‎11-03-2025

Are you oversubscribing the CPU and memory resources? The install has a tendency to fail if you don't reserve the resources/have more resources than your VMs want to use. If this is a lab you can remove any reservation after install, but it is important during install and first boot.

Happy to help! Please mark as helpful/solution if applicable.
Get in touch: https://torbjorn.dev

balaji.bandi · ‎11-03-2025

One or two of the packages did not install correctly and are listed as "aborted".  I have no idea as to why.

what service is that, how is your compute resource for the VM

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maflesch · ‎11-04-2025

kubectl get msr -A | grep -i -v deployed
kubectl get mp -A | grep -i -v deployed

This will show what has failed.

Theo W · ‎11-04-2025

@maflesch wrote:
kubectl get msr -A | grep -i -v deployed
kubectl get mp -A | grep -i -v deployed

This will show what has failed.

Here is the output from the above commands:

$ kubectl get msr -A | grep -i -v deployed
NAMESPACE NAME VERSION STATUS DURATION
cloud-connectivity registration FAILED 30m1.494277463s
telemetry telemetry-agent FAILED 30m2.055380198s

$ kubectl get mp -A | grep -i -v deployed
NAMESPACE NAME VERSION STATUS DURATION REFRESHDURATION
maglev-control-plane cloud-connectivity 6.1.45 FAILED 31m35.990088567s
maglev-control-plane telemetry 3.2.18 FAILED 31m30.991538189s

Thanks.

maflesch · ‎11-04-2025

Thanks, this seems like it is going to be due to some type of connection issue. Without the logs it will be hard to tell though. Please open a TAC case.

Theo W · ‎11-05-2025

@maflesch wrote:
Thanks, this seems like it is going to be due to some type of connection issue. Without the logs it will be hard to tell though. Please open a TAC case.

Was looking at purchasing a lab license for the Cat Center virtual appliance - but that hasn't happened yet. Wanted to see about getting it to work in the lab first before committing to the lab license. Seeing as I don't have a license or subscription, TAC isn't an option.

maflesch · ‎11-05-2025

magctl appstack status -f

Theo W · ‎11-06-2025

@maflesch wrote:
magctl appstack status -f

$ magctl appstack status -f
NAMESPACE NAME READY STATUS RESTARTS AGE IP NODE NOMINATED NODE READINESS GATES
cloud-connectivity registration-69f8b5bbb8-6swwl 0/1 Running 2 (20s ago) 3m20s 169.254.38.20 169.254.6.66 <none> <none>
maglev-control-plane rca-scripts-node-0-1-dkdvv 0/1 Completed 0 2d12h 169.254.38.95 169.254.6.66 <none> <none>
maglev-control-plane system-manager-7c54f854d6-j6bqs 0/1 CrashLoopBackOff 5 (18s ago) 3m19s 169.254.38.44 169.254.6.66 <none> <none>
mks mks-dashboard-install-z9b4q 0/1 Completed 0 2d14h 169.254.38.7 169.254.6.66 <none> <none>
mks mks-upgrade-status-watcher-vqvlr 0/1 Completed 0 2d14h 169.254.38.6 169.254.6.66 <none> <none>
mks pfc-check-vp7kk 0/1 Completed 0 2d14h 169.254.38.5 169.254.6.66 <none> <none>
ndp docwriter-8088e292-7s7r2 0/1 Completed 0 2d13h 169.254.38.65 169.254.6.66 <none> <none>
telemetry telemetry-agent-677657df7f-4mr9s 0/1 Running 55 (104s ago) 2d12h 169.254.38.17 169.254.6.66 <none> <none>

[Thursday Nov 06 14:58:28 UTC] maglev@169.254.6.66 (maglev-master-169-254-6-66)

maflesch · ‎11-06-2025

kubectl get pods -A | grep system-manager
Taken the complete pod name: system-manager-xxxxxxxx-xxxxx and apply it to this command:

kubectl logs -n maglev-control-plane <system-manager-pod name> (without the <> brackets)

Should look like this example:

kubectl logs -n maglev-control-plane system-manager-7f64bb95c7-xcvrl

Theo W · ‎11-06-2025

@maflesch wrote:
kubectl get pods -A | grep system-manager
Taken the complete pod name: system-manager-xxxxxxxx-xxxxx and apply it to this command:

kubectl logs -n maglev-control-plane <system-manager-pod name> (without the <> brackets)

Should look like this example:

kubectl logs -n maglev-control-plane system-manager-7f64bb95c7-xcvrl

$ kubectl logs -n maglev-control-plane system-manager-7c54f854d6-lrd2v
sudo: account validation failure, is your account locked?

[Friday Nov 07 02:19:42 UTC] maglev@169.254.6.66 (maglev-master-169-254-6-66)
$

maflesch · ‎11-07-2025

Run these two commands:

kubectl -n maglev-control-plane get deploy system-manager -o yaml > system-manager.yaml

kubectl patch deployment system-manager -n maglev-control-plane --type='json' -p='[{"op": "add", "path": "/spec/template/spec/containers/0/command", "value": ["bash", "-c", "appctl start system-manager -f"]}]'

Wait a couple of minutes and check magctl appstack status -f again. System-manager should be up and that should allow the system to recover.

However, you should be installing 2.3.7.9, not 2.3.7.4 as there are a lot of issues on that release.

Theo W · ‎11-07-2025

@maflesch wrote:
Run these two commands:

kubectl -n maglev-control-plane get deploy system-manager -o yaml > system-manager.yaml
kubectl patch deployment system-manager -n maglev-control-plane --type='json' -p='[{"op": "add", "path": "/spec/template/spec/containers/0/command", "value": ["bash", "-c", "appctl start system-manager -f"]}]'

Wait a couple of minutes and check magctl appstack status -f again. System-manager should be up and that should allow the system to recover.

However, you should be installing 2.3.7.9, not 2.3.7.4 as there are a lot of issues on that release.

Getting an error message;

$ kubectl patch deployment system-manager -n maglev-control-plane --type='json' -p='[{"op": "add", "path": "/spec/template/spec/containers/0/command", "value": ["bash", "-c", "appctl start system-manager -f"]}]'
Error from server (Forbidden): deployments.apps "system-manager" is forbidden: User "system:serviceaccount:default:shell-user" cannot patch resource "deployments" in API group "apps" in the namespace "maglev-control-plane"

[Friday Nov 07 16:58:58 UTC] maglev@169.254.6.66 (maglev-master-169-254-6-66)