IT47381: ADDING VCENTER DID NOT FAIL WHEN USER HAD READ-ONLY ACCESS AND NO BROWSE DATASTORE PRIVILEGE

APAR status

• Closed as program error.

Error description

• Adding vCenter via Storage Insights GUI is successful even when
  user only has Read-Only access and no 'Browse Datastore'
  privilege. Test Connection and Discovery completes with no
  error, but initial / daily Probe fails with no permission to
  retrieve datastore data and exit with RC -95.
  
  Since no probe data is ever collected successfully, all ESXi
  hosts were added as Not Monitored and Other OS Type instead of
  expected ESXi OS Type with associated vCenter.
  
  In ideal situations, the add vCenter should fail if the
  required user privileges (Read Only + Browse Datastore) are not
  present.
  
  ____________________________________
  Problem as described by customer:
  vCenter not visible in Storage Insights and not able to modify
  credentials.
  
  Initial customer impact (low/med/high): low
  

Local fix

• Update privileges for the user from Read-Only on the vCenter
  to 'Read-Only' + 'Browse Datastore' and wait for the next probe
  to finish.
  

Problem summary

• ****************************************************************
  * USERS AFFECTED:                                              *
  * IBM Storage Insights users monitoring vCenter                *
  ****************************************************************
  * PROBLEM DESCRIPTION:                                         *
  * Adding vCenter via Storage Insights GUI is successful even   *
  * when user only has Read-Only access and does not have        *
  * 'Browse Datastore' privilege. Test Connection and Discovery  *
  * completes with no error, but initial / daily probe fails     *
  * with no                                                      *
  * permission to retrieve datastore data and exit with RC -95.  *
  *                                                              *
  * Since no probe data is ever collected successfully, all ESXi *
  * hosts get added as 'Not Monitored', with 'Other OS' type     *
  * instead of the expected ESXi OS type with associated         *
  * vCenter.                                                     *
  *                                                              *
  * In ideal situations, the add vCenter should fail if the      *
  * required user privileges (Read Only + Browse Datastore)      *
  * are not present.                                             *
  *                                                              *
  ****************************************************************
  * RECOMMENDATION:                                              *
  ****************************************************************
  

Problem conclusion

• The fix for this APAR is targeted for the following release:
  
  IBM Storage Insights 2Q25   [ 54X-IBM-SI ]
  ( release target 2Q 2025 / April )
  
  The target dates for future releases do not represent a formal
  commitment by IBM. The dates are subject to change without
  notice.
  

Temporary fix

Comments

APAR Information

• APAR is sysrouted FROM one or more of the following:

• APAR is sysrouted TO one or more of the following:

Fix information

• Fixed component name

  STORAGE INSIGHT

• Fixed component ID

  5608TPCSI

Applicable component levels