VMware Update Manager Plugin Error: Database temporarily unavailable or has network problems

You might see an error, immediately after installation of VUM (VMware Update Manager) and after installing its plugin:

There was an error connecting to VMware vSphere Update Manager –

[Server Name:443].  Database temporarily unavailable or has network problems.

Here is a screenshot for reference:

VMware Update Manager – Plugin Error

This generally happens to people like me who prefer running programs under specific accounts.  I always run this service under Windows Authentication like this:

VMware Update Manager – Authentication

The issue is that, despite entering a username and password, the service sets up under the “Local System” account as shown in the screenshot:

VMware Update Manager – Services

Effect of this is that the plug-in can’t authenticate and therefore, connect to the database.

Fix to this issue is quite simple.  Immediately after installation of VMware Update Manager:

• Fire up the “Services” MMC.
• Locate the “VMware vSphere Update Manager Service”.
• Click on the “Log On” tab.
• Change “Log on as:” from “Local System account” to “This account” and add the service account you chose to run the service under.
• Once done, a dialogue box comes up, telling you about the “Log On As A Service” right being granted to that account.

VMware Update Manager – Log On Tab

Remember: You also need to restart the service for this change to take effect.

Once done, you can quite safely go to the plugin install and this time, it should work perfectly as normal!

Hope this helps!