VMware Web Access displays a ‘503 Service Unavailable’ error

Symptoms

Cannot log into the Web Access page, returns the following message:
‘503 Service Unavailable’.

Purpose

For VMware Server, we need to log into the Web Access page, to open the VMware Console Window.

A ‘503 Service Unavailable’ error generally means the service is temporarily down for maintenance. In the context of VMware web access, the service is likely being reconfigured and something interrupted normal completion of that task.

Re-installing the service is a brute force method to reset the configuration and service to normal operating conditions.

Resolution

try “/etc/init.d/vmware-mgmt restart”.

# /etc/init.d/vmware-mgmt restart
Stopping VMware management services:
VMware Virtual Infrastructure Web Access
VMware Server Host Agent [ OK ]
Starting VMware management services:
VMware Server Host Agent (background) [ OK ]
VMware Virtual Infrastructure Web Access
#

Related Links

VMware Virtual Infrastructure Web Access displays a 503 Service Unavailable error
http://kb.vmware.com/kb/1009291

503 Service Unavailable – RHEL 5.1
http://communities.vmware.com/message/909305