Citrix Web Interface login page throws the error: “An authentication error occurred.” during login with event ID 30003 and 31003 errors logged in the Web Interface’s application logs

Problem

You’re attempting to log on via the Web Interface server but receive the error:

An authentication error occurred.

You log onto the Web Interface server, review the event logs and see event IDs 30003 errors such as the following:

Site path: C:\inetpub\wwwroot\Citrix\XenApp.

An error occurred while attempting to connect to the server XENA02.domain.com on port 80. Verify that the Citrix XML Service is running and is using the correct port. If the XML Service is configured to share ports with Microsoft Internet Information Services (IIS), verify that IIS is running. This message was reported from the XML Service at address . The specified Citrix XML Service could not be contacted and has been temporarily removed from the list of active services. [Unique Log ID: f18a8ac1]

For specific information about this message, see the Web Interface documentation at http://support.citrix.com/proddocs/topic/web-interface-impington/wi-log-messages-event-ids-hardwick.html.

Note that the server referenced above a XenApp server that is a part of your farm.  You may noticed more event ID 30003 errors logged for other servers in your farm.  You’ll also see event ID 31003 errors logged:

Site path: C:\inetpub\wwwroot\Citrix\XenApp.

All the Citrix XML Services configured for farm XenApp_Farm failed to respond to this XML Service transaction. [Unique Log ID: 9005ffdd]

For specific information about this message, see the Web Interface documentation at http://support.citrix.com/proddocs/topic/web-interface-impington/wi-log-messages-event-ids-hardwick.html.

Solution

The first item to check is actually the event ID 30003 logs.  These logs are indications that your Web Interface server or servers are unable to contact the XenApp servers in your farm so check to see if the server is up, whether the services are started or if there’s any misconfiguration.  An example of a misconfiguration can be, say you have 3 XenApp servers in your far and you decide to shut one down but you only have 2 of the 3 XenApp servers configured in the Server Farms configuration on your Web Interface server:

… and the 2 listed in the farm are down.