diff --git a/monkey_business/cc/admin/ui/js/monkeysb-admin.js b/monkey_business/cc/admin/ui/js/monkeysb-admin.js
index 6ff40cf3d..1dfbd3fdf 100644
--- a/monkey_business/cc/admin/ui/js/monkeysb-admin.js
+++ b/monkey_business/cc/admin/ui/js/monkeysb-admin.js
@@ -121,14 +121,14 @@ function updateJobs() {
 }
 
 function loadVcenterConfig() {
-    $.getJSON('/connector?type=vcenter', function(json) {
+    $.getJSON('/connector?type=VCenterConnector', function(json) {
         vcenterCfg.setValue(json);
     });
 }
 
 function updateVcenterConfig() {
     var vc_config = vcenterCfg.getValue()
-    vc_config["type"] = "vcenter";
+    vc_config["type"] = "VCenterConnector";
 
     $.ajax({
             headers : {
diff --git a/monkey_business/cc/connectors/vcenter.py b/monkey_business/cc/connectors/vcenter.py
index 1cdf8db7c..30cfc122b 100644
--- a/monkey_business/cc/connectors/vcenter.py
+++ b/monkey_business/cc/connectors/vcenter.py
@@ -20,21 +20,45 @@ class VCenterConnector(NetControllerConnector):
                 "resource_pool":   ""
             }
         }
-        self._job_properties = {
-
+        self._cache = {
+            "vlans" : []
         }
 
     def connect(self):
-        self._service_instance = SmartConnect(host=self._properties["address"],
-                                              port=self._properties["port"],
-                                              user=self._properties["username"],
-                                              pwd=self._properties["password"])
+        import ssl
+        try:
+            self._service_instance = SmartConnect(host=self._properties["address"],
+                                                  port=self._properties["port"],
+                                                  user=self._properties["username"],
+                                                  pwd=self._properties["password"])
+        except ssl.SSLError:
+            # some organizations use self-signed certificates...
+            gcontext = ssl.SSLContext(ssl.PROTOCOL_TLSv1)
+            self._service_instance = SmartConnect(host=self._properties["address"],
+                                                  port=self._properties["port"],
+                                                  user=self._properties["username"],
+                                                  pwd=self._properties["password"],
+                                                  sslContext=gcontext)
 
     def is_connected(self):
-        return not self._service_instance == None
+        if (self._service_instance == None):
+            return False
+        try:
+            self._service_instance.serverClock
+        except vim.fault.NotAuthenticated, e:
+            return False
 
     def get_vlans_list(self):
-        return []
+        if not self.is_connected():
+            self.connect()
+        if self._cache and self._cache.has_key("vlans") and self._cache["vlans"]:
+            return self._cache["vlans"]
+        vcontent = self._service_instance.RetrieveContent()  # get updated vsphare state
+        vimtype = [vim.Network]
+        objview = vcontent.viewManager.CreateContainerView(vcontent.rootFolder, vimtype, True)
+        self._cache["vlans"] = [x.name for x in objview.view]
+        objview.Destroy()
+        return self._cache["vlans"]
 
     def get_entities_on_vlan(self, vlanid):
         return []
diff --git a/monkey_business/cc/main.py b/monkey_business/cc/main.py
index 0723b22fd..a7aa41d4b 100644
--- a/monkey_business/cc/main.py
+++ b/monkey_business/cc/main.py
@@ -70,7 +70,7 @@ class Job(restful.Resource):
 class Connector(restful.Resource):
     def get(self, **kw):
         type = request.args.get('type')
-        if (type == 'vcenter'):
+        if (type == 'VCenterConnector'):
             vcenter = VCenterConnector()
             properties = mongo.db.connector.find_one({"type": 'VCenterConnector'})
             if properties:
@@ -82,7 +82,7 @@ class Connector(restful.Resource):
 
     def post(self, **kw):
         settings_json = json.loads(request.data)
-        if (settings_json.get("type") == 'vcenter'):
+        if (settings_json.get("type") == 'VCenterConnector'):
 
             # preserve password
             properties = mongo.db.connector.find_one({"type": 'VCenterConnector'})
@@ -179,8 +179,8 @@ def update_connectors():
         if not active_connectors[connector_name].is_connected():
             refresh_connector_config(connector_name)
             try:
-                active_connectors[connector_name].connect()
                 app.logger.info("Trying to activate connector: %s" % connector_name)
+                active_connectors[connector_name].connect()
             except Exception, e:
                 active_connectors.pop(connector_name)
                 app.logger.info("Error activating connector: %s, reason: %s" % (connector_name, e))