VMware vCenter – The Storage Service is not initialized. Please try again later.

We were doing a routine upgrade of the SQL Database that’s tied to the vCenter server and got a new error in Storage Views on a host. The error is below:

This issue is pretty straight forward to correct. By default, Vmware ESXi 5.5.0’s VMware vSphere Profile-Driven Storage Service uses the Local System as the account to manage the service. Unlike your VMware VirtualCenter Server, which probably uses a service account you created, the Local System is not equipped to start and manage the service properly.

Resolution: Change the service log on of the VMware vSphere Profile-Driven Storage Service to something other than Local System, most likely whatever account you use for the VMware VirtualCenter Server, and you’ll be golden.

Let me know if this works for anyone else. Cheers!