Machines are not receiving tasks and are not being assigned to a Task Server

Products

• IT Management Suite

Issue/Introduction

All Windows machines started to not receive tasks anymore and to not get registered to a Task Server (TS).

The Task Server tab, inside the Altiris Agent, was not showing the TS name, or the tasks that it has ran.

severity='1' hostName='XYZ' source='NetworkOperation' module='AeXNetComms.dll' process='AeXNSAgent.exe' pid='10316' thread='20300' tickCount='2126367454' 

Operation 'Direct: Head' failed. 
Protocol: HTTP 
Host: XYZ.xyz.com:80 
Path: /Altiris/TaskManagement/CTAgent/GetClientTaskServers.aspx 
Connection Id: 20353.10316 
Communication profile Id: {3574FD79-5436-4680-8C78-C0040A58938F} 
Error type: HTTP error 
Error code: HTTP status 401: The request requires user authentication (0x8FA10191) 
Error note: Authentication: Failed. Server refused to authenticate with provided credentials.

Environment

ITMS 8.1 X

Cause

Under:

• Console > Setting > All Settings > Agents/Plug-ins > Symantec Management Agent > Settings > Global Agent Settings > Authentication (Tab) > Agent Connectivity Credential

Was checked the option "Use theses credentials" and the credential being used there was the "/root" credential for Linux/MAC machines.

Because of that, all Windows machines were falling.

Resolution

Changed the configuration under:

• Console > Setting > All Settings > Agents/Plug-ins > Symantec Management Agent > Settings > Global Agent Settings > Authentication (Tab) > Agent Connectivity Credential

And selected "Use Application Credentials" instead of "Use these credentials".

By doing that change the agents received the new "credential" to be used and the machines started to receive tasks and getting assigned to a Task Server (TS) again.