Why is there direct CAM communication between Agent and Domain Manager?

Products

• CA Client Automation - IT Client Manager
• CA Client Automation

Issue/Introduction

Why would there be any direct communication between an Agent (registered with a remote Scalability Server) and the Domain Manager?

Environment

Client Automation 14.x

Resolution

In general, yes, however there are several possible reasons why the camstat output would reveal communication between an agent and the domain manager.  Some possibilities are: 

- DSM Explorer or Reporter

Remote DSM Explorer will communicate directly with the DM, and DSM Reporter will communicate directly with the DM and the database. 

- Software Catalog

If the Software Catalog is used at all on the agent, it will communicate directly with the Domain Manager.

- Remote Control

If a Remote Control session was initiated from DSM Explorer or the RC Viewer on the Domain Manager, this will result in direct communication.  Also there is a policy regarding the C authentication process, whether or not this authentication should route directly to the DM or via the SS.  By default, authentication is routed via the SS, but it is possible someone has altered the policy to eliminate the SS, and authenticate directly with the DM. 

- Deployment Wizard

If the deployment wizard was used to scan an address range, then CAM communication would occur to check and see if the DMPrimer is installed on the target.  If the agent was somehow included in this, then the traffic would be observed.  Or if the agent was recently deployed, the DMPrimer would have communicated with the DM.

- Health Monitoring

If the Alert Collector is installed on the DM, it is possible the Agent sent a health message directly to the alert collector installed on the DM.

- Instant Diagnostics

If anyone has run instant diagnostics in DSM Explorer on the agent, this would result in CAM traffic.

- Predefined CAM path

Inside the %cai_msq%\cam.cfg file, there is a pre-defined PATH defined, either on the DM or the agent, for the other.

Additional Information

To narrow the communication to a particular component in ITCM, which may reveal the cause for the communication, you can search the DSM logs on the DM or Agent, for the respective IP address of the other system.  The log that the IP address is found will indicate a particular component.

Recommend using Notepad++ as this has the ability to search for strings (IP address) within all files in the DSM\logs folder.