After registering Satellite Server 5.6 or 5.7 to RHSM using activation key, satellite certificate activation fails with error : Fault -2: "unhandled internal exception: Null values aren't supported, if isEnabledForExtensions() == false"

Environment

• Red Hat Satellite v 5.6 or 5.7
• RH Satellite server registered to RHSM using activation key

Issue

• After registering Satellite Server 5.6 or 5.7 to RHSM using activation key, satellite certificate activation fails with below error

# rhn-satellite-activate -vvv --rhn-cert=RH_Satellite_cert.xml
RHN_PARENT: satellite.rhn.redhat.com
HTTP_PROXY: None
HTTP_PROXY_USERNAME: None
HTTP_PROXY_PASSWORD: <password>
CA_CERT: /usr/share/rhn/RHNS-CA-CERT
Checking cert XML sanity and GPG signature: '/usr/bin/validate-sat-cert.pl --keyring /etc/webapp-keyring.gpg /etc/sysconfig/rhn/rhn-entitlement-cert.xml-0jj6G3'
Database connectioned initialized: refer to /etc/rhn/rhn.conf
Attempting local RHN Certificate push (and therefore activation)
Executing: remote XMLRPC activation call.
Error reported from RHN: <Fault -2: "unhandled internal exception: Null values aren't supported, if isEnabledForExtensions() == false">
ERROR: unhandled XMLRPC fault upon remote activation: <Fault -2: "unhandled internal exception: Null values aren't supported, if isEnabledForExtensions() == false">

Resolution

To resolve this issue, we need to unregister and re-register the satellite server using username/password to RHSM then activate the certificate.

• Unsubscribe

# subscription-manager unregister
# subscription-manager clean

• Register using a username and password

# subscription-manager register --username <username> --password <password>

• To view the available pools once registered

# subscription-manager list --available --matches 'Red Hat Satellite*'

• Attach the appropriate subscriptions from a pool ID discovered in the previous command.

# subscription-manager attach --pool=Pool-ID

• Enable the repositories

For Satellite v 5.6

# subscription-manager repos --disable '*'
# subscription-manager repos --enable rhel-6-server-rpms --enable rhel-6-server-satellite-5.6-rpms 
# yum clean all

For Satellite v 5.7

# subscription-manager repos --disable '*'
# subscription-manager repos --enable rhel-6-server-rpms --enable rhel-6-server-satellite-5.7-rpms 
# yum clean all

• Activate the satellite

# rhn-satellite-activate -vvv --rhn-cert=RH_Satellite_cert.xml

Root Cause

• It is known issue that, if satellite server is registered to RHSM using activation key then certificate activation fails. It should be registered with username / password.

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