Initial

client/src/App.vue

@@ -1142,6 +1142,12 @@ const settingMetadata = {
     placeholder: 'auto',
     section: 'Integrations'
   },
+  vcenter_request_timeout_ms: {
+    label: 'vCenter Request Timeout',
+    description: 'Maximum time the backend waits for one vCenter HTTP request before returning a traceable timeout.',
+    placeholder: '20000',
+    section: 'Integrations'
+  },
   vcenter_allow_untrusted_tls: {
     label: 'Allow Untrusted vCenter TLS',
     description: 'Permit self-signed or private CA vCenter certificates for lab and internal deployments.',
@@ -2391,6 +2397,36 @@ async function previewVCenterImport(payload) {
     }
   }];
   vcenterTraceOpen.value = true;
+  const watchdogs = [
+    setTimeout(() => {
+      vcenterTraceEntries.value = [
+        ...vcenterTraceEntries.value,
+        {
+          info: true,
+          message: 'Still waiting for the POSHManager API preview response.',
+          details: {
+            route: '/api/hosts/import/vcenter/preview',
+            elapsedMs: 8000,
+            note: 'If this remains here, the backend is still waiting on vCenter DNS, TCP, TLS, authentication, or VM inventory response.'
+          }
+        }
+      ];
+    }, 8000),
+    setTimeout(() => {
+      vcenterTraceEntries.value = [
+        ...vcenterTraceEntries.value,
+        {
+          info: true,
+          message: 'The preview request is still pending.',
+          details: {
+            route: '/api/hosts/import/vcenter/preview',
+            elapsedMs: 18000,
+            note: 'The backend vCenter request timeout should return a traceable timeout shortly unless the API process is blocked before dispatch.'
+          }
+        }
+      ];
+    }, 18000)
+  ];
   try {
     const result = await api.post('/api/hosts/import/vcenter/preview', payload);
     vcenterImportStatus.value = result.status;
@@ -2413,6 +2449,7 @@ async function previewVCenterImport(payload) {
     vcenterImportError.value = err.message;
     notify(err.message, 'error');
   } finally {
+    watchdogs.forEach((timer) => clearTimeout(timer));
     vcenterImportLoading.value = false;
   }
 }