Sym Agent on Site Server fails to register

Products

• Task Server

Issue/Introduction

On a Windows 2016 Server the Task Service is installed but the Symantec Management Agent (SMA or Sym Agent) fails to register to itself and the following log enctries are seen:

Operation 'Direct: Head' failed.
Protocol: HTTP
Host: test.org:80
Path: /Altiris/ClientTaskServer/Register.aspx
Connection Id: 371.1320
Communication profile Id: {C8683B78-2F41-4C7A-BD4B-205F6084CD78}
Error type: HTTP error
Error code: HTTP status 401: The request requires user authentication (0x8FA10191)
Error note: Empty response content received

Could not register using "https://******/Altiris/ClientTaskServer/Register.aspx"

Failed to call web interface by url [https://******/Altiris/ClientTaskServer/Register.aspx?lastResort=true&resourceGuid=da6c4ead-bd50-4c67-bd9f-1acb50183b4b&crc=0008000100001863], error [0x8007274D, No connection could be made because the target machine actively refused it.].

Environment

ITMS 8.x

Cause

In IIS, the Anonymous and Digest Authentication is disabled for the ClientTaskServer site.

Resolution

1. Open IIS Manager (Start > Control Panel > Admin Tools > Internet Information Services (IIS) Manager)
2. Drill down to (<server> > Web Sites > Default Web Site > Altiris)
3. Select "ClientTaskServer" web site and double click on "Authentication" from the menu on right side.
4. Enable "Anonymous" and "Digest Authentication".
5. Run iisreset from command prompt.