Hammer commands fails with error "Could not load the API description from the server - is the server down?"

Solution Verified - Updated

Environment

  • Red Hat Satellite 6.x
  • Hammer CLI

Issue

  • Hammer commands fails with error "Could not load the API description from the server - is the server down?"

    [root@satellite ~]# hammer -h
Could not load the API description from the server
  - is the server down?
  - was 'foreman-rake apipie:cache' run on the server when using apipie cache? (typical production settings)
Warning: An error occured while loading module hammer_cli_csv
Could not load the API description from the server
  - is the server down?
  - was 'foreman-rake apipie:cache' run on the server when using apipie cache? (typical production settings)
Warning: An error occured while loading module hammer_cli_foreman
Could not load the API description from the server
  - is the server down?
  - was 'foreman-rake apipie:cache' run on the server when using apipie cache? (typical production settings)
Warning: An error occured while loading module hammer_cli_foreman_bootdisk
Could not load the API description from the server
  - is the server down?
  - was 'foreman-rake apipie:cache' run on the server when using apipie cache? (typical production settings)
Warning: An error occured while loading module hammer_cli_foreman_docker
Could not load the API description from the server
  - is the server down?
  - was 'foreman-rake apipie:cache' run on the server when using apipie cache? (typical production settings)
Warning: An error occured while loading module hammer_cli_foreman_remote_execution
Warning: An error occured while loading module hammer_cli_foreman_tasks
Could not load the API description from the server
  - is the server down?
  - was 'foreman-rake apipie:cache' run on the server when using apipie cache? (typical production settings)
Warning: An error occured while loading module hammer_cli_katello
Usage:
    hammer [OPTIONS] SUBCOMMAND [ARG] ...

    [root@satellite ~]# hammer -d ping
[ INFO 2020-12-08T14:52:46 Init] Initialization of Hammer CLI (2.1.2) has started...
[DEBUG 2020-12-08T14:52:46 Init] Running at ruby 2.5.5-p157
...
[ INFO 2020-12-08T14:52:47 API] GET /apidoc/v2.en.json
[DEBUG 2020-12-08T14:52:47 API] Params: {}
[DEBUG 2020-12-08T14:52:47 API] Headers: {
    :accept => "application/json",
    :params => {}
}
[ERROR 2020-12-08T14:52:47 API] 404 Not Found
[DEBUG 2020-12-08T14:52:47 API] Cache expired. (default -> bf21a9e8fbc5a3846fb05b4fa0859e0917b2202f)
[ INFO 2020-12-08T14:52:47 API] Server: https://satellite.example.com/
[ INFO 2020-12-08T14:52:47 API] GET /apidoc/v2.json
[DEBUG 2020-12-08T14:52:47 API] Params: {}
[DEBUG 2020-12-08T14:52:47 API] Headers: {
    :accept => "application/json",
    :params => {}
}
[ERROR 2020-12-08T14:52:47 API] 404 Not Found
[DEBUG 2020-12-08T14:52:47 API] ""
[DEBUG 2020-12-08T14:52:47 Exception] Using exception handler HammerCLIForeman::ExceptionHandler#handle_apipie_docloading_error
[ERROR 2020-12-08T14:52:47 Exception] Could not load the API description from the server:
404 Not Found
  - is the server down?
  - was 'foreman-rake apipie:cache' run on the server when using apipie cache? (typical production settings)
[ WARN 2020-12-08T14:52:47 HammerCLI::Output::Output] Required adapter '' was not found, using 'base' instead
Could not load the API description from the server:

Resolution

  • Confirm the syntax of /root/.hammer/cli.modules.d/foreman.yml (or /etc/hammer/cli_config.yml on some old Sat releases) - use proper FQDN of your Satellite:
[root@satellite ~]# cat /root/.hammer/cli.modules.d/foreman.yml
:foreman:  
    :host: 'https://satellite.example.com/'
    :username: 'admin'  
    :password: 'changeme' 
[root@satellite ~]#

  **Note:** Usually this issue occurs, if the `/etc/hammer/cli_config.yml` and `/root/.hammer/cli.modules.d/foreman.yml`  have incorrect entries, any white spaces or incorrect indentation.

  • If hammer command reports the same error in spite of correct values, then execute following commands to generate apipie cache.

    # foreman-rake apipie:cache
# satellite-maintain service restart
# hammer ping

For more KB articles/solutions related to Red Hat Satellite 6.x hammer Issues, please refer to the Consolidated Troubleshooting Article for Red Hat Satellite 6.x hammer-related Issues

Root Cause

  • Incorrect syntax of the /root/.hammer/cli.modules.d/foreman.yml or /etc/hammer/cli_config.yml config file or expired apipie cache.

Diagnostic Steps

  • Confirm if hammer returns OK by-passing the reference to cli_config.yml file

    [root@satellite ~]# hammer -u admin -p changeme -s https://$(hostname -f):443 ping
candlepin:      
    Status:          ok
    Server Response: Duration: 20ms
candlepin_auth: 
    Status:          ok
    Server Response: Duration: 24ms
pulp:           
    Status:          ok
    Server Response: Duration: 50ms
pulp_auth:      
    Status:          ok
    Server Response: Duration: 25ms
elasticsearch:  
    Status:          ok
    Server Response: Duration: 17ms
foreman_tasks:  
    Status:          ok
    Server Response: Duration: 1ms

  • If reporting is OK, then execute the hammer CLI with the debug option, which would reveal the inconsistency 

    [root@satellite ~]# hammer -d ping
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