After upgrading to ITMS 8.5, replicated packages are taking too long to be set to a ready state

Products

• IT Management Suite

Issue/Introduction

The customer upgraded from ITMS 8.0 HF6 to ITMS 8.5. The package servers were upgraded to the respective 8.5 version. The customer noticed that after the Symantec Management Agent and Package Server plugin were upgraded, he noticed that all his previously downloaded packages were set to "Pending" state, then these packages moved to "Retrying" state and most then were set to "Ready" state. However, there are multiple packages that keep retrying but there is nothing to download as far as files go since those were already  already downloaded prior to the upgrade. The packages that keep retrying were packages replicated from the Parent SMP.

None that indicated that there was an error with the files. However, there were messages about the SMP was busy and the request was backing off.

Environment

Upgrade from ITMS 8.0 HF6 to ITMS 8.5

Cause

In ITMS 8.5, the metadata of packages was changed, due to new introduced feature of block level hashing and calculation.

Resolution

Please refer to HOWTO42304 "Package Replication within a Hierarchy"

There is a core setting that is involved on this process: The setting name is “PackageRequestBlockoutSeconds”.

• Symantec Management Agents are never permitted to download packages across a hierarchy, they will always wait and download from local Package Servers

• Only Package Servers in the same Site as the NS are permitted to download packages across the hierarchy

In order to get the proper package references recreated, you will need to change the Core Setting “PackageRequestBlockoutSeconds” to be 1 second instead of 300 seconds. That allows Child NS to redirect package requests to the Parent without forcing Package Servers from retrying and back-offing.