Failed: Unable to run proxy for reflection operations

Products

• IT Management Suite
• Client Management Suite

Issue/Introduction

Unable to upgrade ITMS (IT Management Suite) due to error message - "Unable to run proxy for reflection operations" at approx. 16% of the installation process.

The customer is not able to upgrade their SMP (Symantec Management Platform) to 8.1.

This is the error that the customer sees in the SIM logs right at the upgrade failure:

ConfigureNS - task_Completed(): Configuration Task Configuring database...
Failed: Unable to run proxy for reflection operations.
System.ServiceModel.CommunicationObjectFaultedException: The communication
object, System.ServiceModel.ServiceHost, cannot be used for communication because it is in the Faulted state.
   at System.ServiceModel.Channels.CommunicationObject.Close(TimeSpan timeout)
   at System.ServiceModel.ServiceHostBase.System.IDisposable.Dispose()
   at ReflectionProxy.Program.Main(String[] args)

Unable to run proxy for reflection operations.
System.ServiceModel.CommunicationObjectFaultedException: The communication
object, System.ServiceModel.ServiceHost, cannot be used for communication because it is in the Faulted state.
   at System.ServiceModel.Channels.CommunicationObject.Close(TimeSpan timeout)
   at System.ServiceModel.ServiceHostBase.System.IDisposable.Dispose()
   at ReflectionProxy.Program.Main(String[] args)

   [System.Exception @ SymantecInstallationManager]
   at Symantec.Installation.Helpers.ReflectionProxy.StartServer()
   at Symantec.Installation.Helpers.ReflectionProxy.get_Instance()
   at Symantec.Installation.NSConfiguration.Tasks.InstallSQLTask.InstallSQL()
   at Symantec.Installation.NSConfiguration.Tasks.InstallSQLTask.
<StartImpl>d__0.MoveNext()
--- End of stack trace from previous location where exception was thrown ---
   at System.Runtime.CompilerServices.TaskAwaiter.ThrowForNonSuccess(Task
task)
   at System.Runtime.CompilerServices.TaskAwaiter.HandleNonSuccessAndDebuggerNotification(Task task)
   at Symantec.Installation.NSConfiguration.Tasks.SerialTask.
<Start>d__0.MoveNext()

Exception logged from:
   at Symantec.Installation.Logging.LogActivity.ReportException(Int32 severity, String strMessage, String category, Exception exception, String footer)
   at Symantec.Installation.Logging.LogActivity.ReportException(String strMessage, String category, Exception exception)
   at Symantec.Installation.ConfigureNS.task_Completed(Object sender, CompletedEventArgs e)
   at Symantec.Installation.Task.OnCompleted(Exception ex)
   at Symantec.Installation.NSConfiguration.Tasks.SerialTask.
<Start>d__0.MoveNext()
   at System.Threading.ExecutionContext.RunInternal(ExecutionContext executionContext, ContextCallback callback, Object state,
Boolean preserveSyncCtx)
   at System.Threading.ExecutionContext.Run(ExecutionContext executionContext, ContextCallback callback, Object state, Boolean
preserveSyncCtx)
   at System.Runtime.CompilerServices.AsyncMethodBuilderCore.MoveNextRunner.Run()
   at System.Threading.QueueUserWorkItemCallback.System.Threading.IThreadPoolWorkI
tem.ExecuteWorkItem()
   at System.Threading.ThreadPoolWorkQueue.Dispatch()

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Date: 5/5/2017 8:58:25 AM, Tick Count: 2317660 (00:38:37.6600000), Size: 2.98 KB
Process: SymantecInstallationManager (2736), Thread ID: 9, Module: SymantecInstallationManager.exe
Priority: 1, Source: Symantec.Installation.ConfigureNS.task_Completed
 

Environment

Windows Server 2008 R2

SIM 7.5.x, 7.6.x and 8.x (Symantec Installation Manager)

Cause

The problem is the name of net.pipe, which is used inside of ReflectionProxy to communicate with SIM. Currently it is net.pipe/localhost and seems that some other application also uses this same name.

Resolution

Based on what was found, the other application using the same for net.pipe is "Dell Change Auditor Agent" (the process called NPSvrHost.exe).
After the customer removed it, SIM was able to finish the install or repair process.

Note:

To find that application (if the "Dell Change Auditor Agent" is not installed on the SMP),  download "process explorer" from sysinternals:

1. Run Process Explorer.
2. Go to run it and go to "...\Program Files\Altiris\Symantec Installation Manager" and run ReflectionProxy.exe.
   
3. On Process Explorer, on the top menu bar, go to Find->Find Handle.
4. Then type (without quotes) "\BaseNamedObjects\net.pipe:EbmV0LnBpcGU6Ly8rLw==" and press Search.  This will show which application is using the same net.pipe address. Find that process and stop it.