The Events table on Task Servers is filled with thousands of large files which affect Event Queues on the SMP

Products

• IT Management Suite

Issue/Introduction

The folder ".\Program Files\Altiris\Altiris Agent\Client Task Server\Events" is filled with many large files on most Task Servers.

As a result the ".\Program Files\Altiris\TaskManagement\Events" folder on the SMP (Symantec Management Platform) server is filled up with thousands of files and event queue processing has almost completely halted.

 

 

Cause

There were a number of script tasks running frequently, and targeting many computers. The script was configured to run a command-line that returned the permissions to all folders and sub folders starting at the root of C:

The script tasks were configured to save the script output with the task.  This is why the submitted task results were so large.

Environment

Symantec Management Platform 8.5

Resolution

It was determined that most did not need to be run but maybe once per month. Some were not even needed so they were deleted.

To find all tasks that may be causing the problems.

1. Run the SQL in the file attached to this article "fn Folder Path Function.sql" against the Symantec_CMDB database (or whatever the database name is).
2. Run the following SQL query against the database.  By Default it is looking for any tasks configured to save output with the results. It gives the number of times it has been run in the past 12 hours. It also identifies where the task can be found in the console, although searching for it works too.

declare @hours int = 12

select distinct i.Name as Task, count(*) as [Run Count], [dbo].[fnGetItemFolderPath2](i.Guid) as [Console Path]
from  ItemVersions iv
join Item i on i.Guid = iv.ItemGuid
join TaskInstances ti2 on ti2.TaskVersionGuid = iv.VersionGuid
join TaskInstancesStarted strt on strt.TaskInstanceGuid = ti2.TaskInstanceGuid
join ItemVersionData ivd on ivd.VersionGuid = iv.VersionGuid
  and ivd.State like '%collectOutput="True"%' -- Save scipt output with task status

where 1 = 1
and  datediff(hh, strt.StartTime, getdate()) <= @hours
group by i.Name, i.Guid
order by 2 desc