PMImport Replication runs and Software Update Policies lose package associations

Products

• Patch Management Solution for Windows

Issue/Introduction

In hierarchy with at least one Child SMP; the Import Patch Data Replication for Windows (PMImport Replication) runs and Software Update Policies lose package associations to the Software Update Packages. 

Resulting in Child SMP Logs being filled with errors for the patches 'Unable to generate policy xml for item...'

Confirmed that a Complete Import Patch Data Replicaiton for Windows and Delta Replication will not fix the issue.

Unable to generate policy XML for item: 'Windows8-RT-KB3072595-x64.msu for MS15-096_Server' (acd525ca-ba93-4d25-be87-8a85621bfa4f), resource: 4eccbc61-57cb-4cfe-9bf8-6fdaeadaee5d
Unable to build the client configuration XML for advertisement with guid {acd525ca-ba93-4d25-be87-8a85621bfa4f}. 
Reason: Unable to locate advertisement 
details: 'Windows8-RT-KB3072595-x64.msu for MS15-096_Server'(acd525ca-ba93-4d25-be87-8a85621bfa4f)  [Altiris.NS.Exceptions.AeXException @ Altiris.NS.StandardItems]
   at Altiris.NS.StandardItems.SoftwareDelivery.AdvertisementItem.OnBuildClientConfigXml2(Guid workstationGuid, XmlNode requestDocumentElement, XmlTextWriter xwr)
   at Altiris.PatchManagementCore.Policies.SoftwareUpdateAdvertisement.OnBuildClientConfigXml2(Guid workstationGuid, XmlNode requestDocumentElement, XmlTextWriter xmlBuilder)
   at Altiris.NS.StandardItems.Policies.ClientConfigPolicy.<>c__DisplayClass4.<GetConfigXml>b__3(XmlTextWriterxwr)
   at Altiris.Profiling.Support.XmlFormatOps.ToXml(Action`1 fu, String root,Boolean indented)
   at Altiris.NS.StandardItems.Policies.ClientConfigPolicy.GetConfigXml(GuidresourceGuid, String requestXml)
   at Altiris.NS.AgentManagement.PolicyRequest.BuildPolicyXml(LoadIdentData data, IItem item, IItemClientConfig icc, IItemClientConfig2 icc2)
   at Altiris.Database.DatabaseContext`1.RetryAction(Int32 retries, Boolean transacted, Getter`1 getContext, Action`1 action, Action`1 retry, DeadlockRetryArgs& re, Exception& exception, Boolean inTransaction)
   at Altiris.Database.DatabaseContext`1.PerformWithDeadlockRetryHelper(Int32 retries, Boolean inTransaction, Getter`1 getContext, Action`1 action, Action`1 retry, Boolean transacted)
   at Altiris.Database.DatabaseContext`1.PerformWithDeadlockRetry(Int32 retries, Boolean startNewTransaction, Nullable`1 isolationLevel, Boolean independentContext, Action`1 action, Action`1 retry)
   at Altiris.NS.AgentManagement.PolicyRequest.BuildPolicyXml(LoadIdentData data, IPolicyCacheEntryBuilder builder, ISet`1& requiredPermissions)
Unable to locate advertisement details: 'Windows8-RT-KB3072595-x64.msu for MS15-096_Server' (acd525ca-ba93-4d25-be87-8a85621bfa4f) [Altiris.NS.Exceptions.AeXException @ Altiris.NS.StandardItems]
   at Altiris.NS.StandardItems.SoftwareDelivery.AdvertisementItem.OnBuildClientConfigXml2(Guid workstationGuid, XmlNode requestDocumentElement, XmlTextWriter xwr)

 

Cause

Huge amounts of data replication for Patch Packages during Import Patch Data Replicaiton for Windows causes delayed replication of Software Packages. This causes timing issues with policy being replicated on the Core Replication (Differential) schedule and results in lost policy to package resource associations and results in the error above, for the packages should be created by an asynchronous download task on child NS.

Resolution

This issue is resolved in Patch Management 8.0.

Implement the attached PointFix to resolve this issue in Patch Management 7.6 HF7+

HOW TO INSTALL THIS POINTFIX

1. Close all browsers before installing the PointFix.
2. Extract files to the SMP Server hard drive. Ensure the PointFix package is not extracted to Altiris install directory (or any subfolder to it).
3. Execute PFInstaller.exe with administrative privileges (right-click > Run as administrator). 
4. Select "Install Files" and accept UAC (User Account Control) prompt. Note: Old binaries will be automatically archived in the 'Backup' folder in the same location as the PFInstaller as the new binaries are installed. May review the log.txt in the same location if needed during install.
5. Close PFInstaller window.

HOW TO UNINSTALL POINTFIX

1. Confirm the 'Backup' subfolder is located in PFInstaller directory.
2. Execute PFInstaller.exe with administrative privileges (right-click > Run as administrator). 
3. Select "Uninstall Files" and Accept UAC (User Account Control) prompt. Note: Old binaries will be restored from 'Backup' folder located with the PFinstaller.
4. Close PFInstaller window.