Generating codebases using a different host name rather than its actual internal FQDN?

Products

• IT Management Suite

Issue/Introduction

When the Package Server publishes its codebase to the SMP using the internal FQDN, how can you get it to generate codebases using a different host name rather than its actual internal FQDN?

Example Use Case 1:
Agents are not on the internal network (aka disconnected computers) and are unable to download packages from the assigned Package Server (PS).

Example Use Case 2:
The Altiris Administrator is looking for a way to have certain package servers generate codebases using a different host name rather than its actual internal FQDN. 

Environment

ITMS 8.x environments using third party trusted SSL certificates on the SMP and Site Servers serving CEM Agents.

Cause

For Use Case 1: The Package Server publishes its codebase to the SMP using the "internal FQDN" or host name (e.g. servername.ADdomain.com). The agent computer on the external network cannot resolve this address because it is not publicly resolvable.

For Use Case 2: The Altiris Administrator was under the impression that the communication profile governed this (Agent Communication Profiles provided names and certificates to clients in the event they are instructed to access a PS but it doesn't govern codebases from the PS). This was before ITMS 8.5 was released.

Resolution

Two new registry keys have been added in ITMS 8.5 which will allow administrators to specify custom FQDN strings which will be used as alternative host-names when generating HTTP & HTTPS codebases on the Package Server (UNC not affected by this change).

The keys should be created manually under the registry hive: HKLM\Software\Altiris\Altiris Agent\Package Server

• The key "FQDN Alternate" (REG_MULTI_SZ) should contain alternate FQDN strings. Example: servername.corpname.com
• The key "FQDN Keep System" (RED_DWORD) should contain a value in order for the Package Server to keep providing original system based hostname, or 0 (zero) - not to provide codebases with system hostname.
• If no alternate FQDN strings are specified, the Package Server will still provide the original, system based, hostname.

Note: More details about the usage of these regkeys, refer to KB article Publish an alternate server name for an Internet Site Server

With the ITMS 8.5 release, Site Servers now have their own Communication Profile where we can specify what alternate host names we want to use. See under SMP Console>Settings>Agents/Plug-ins>Symantec Management Agent>Symantec Management Agent Communication profiles>Site Server Communication profiles

Those two keys were created in order for a Package Server to publish the codebases to the SMP with alternate FQDN and they still work for this release.