Getting: The server is currently paused (0x8004200E) when trying to reach GetClientTaskServers.aspx

Products

IT Management Suite Client Management Suite

Issue/Introduction

The customer noticed that his client machines are not able to register to a Task Server. When looking at the agent logs, the following entry is noticed:

Operation 'Direct: Head' failed.
Protocol: HTTP
Host: <SMPserver.Domain.local>:80
Path: /Altiris/TaskManagement/CTAgent/GetClientTaskServers.aspx
Connection Id: 5602.3560
Communication profile Id: {1DC961DB-E032-4D70-8252-64A5592D0F06}
Error type: SMP Server error
Error code: The server is currently paused (0x8004200E)
Error note: HTTP Status 200: 200 OK
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Date: 10/1/2019 2:22:21 PM, Tick Count: 459789867 (5.07:43:09.8670000), Size: 608 B
Process: AeXNSAgent.exe (3560), Thread ID: 2260, Module: AeXNetComms.dll
Priority: 2, Source: NetworkOperation

Entry 1:

Failed to call web interface by url [HTTP://<SMPserver.Domain.local>/Altiris/TaskManagement/CTAgent/GetClientTaskServers.aspx?shares=1&resourceGuid=b2366b2a-880f-4192-8fd6-844f6e021ddd&crc=0008000100001863], error [0x8004200E, IDispatch error #7694].
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Date: 10/1/2019 2:22:21 PM, Tick Count: 459789883 (5.07:43:09.8830000), Size: 493 B
Process: AeXNSAgent.exe (3560), Thread ID: 2260, Module: client task agent.dll
Priority: 2, Source: Client Task Agent

Entry 2:

Operation 'Direct: Head' failed.
Protocol: HTTP
Host: <SMPserver.Domain.local>:80
Path: /Altiris/TaskManagement/CTAgent/GetClientTaskServers.aspx
Connection Id: 5602.3560
Communication profile Id: {1DC961DB-E032-4D70-8252-64A5592D0F06}
Error type: SMP Server error
Error code: The server is currently paused (0x8004200E)
Error note: HTTP Status 200: 200 OK
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Date: 10/1/2019 2:22:21 PM, Tick Count: 459789867 (5.07:43:09.8670000), Size: 608 B
Process: AeXNSAgent.exe (3560), Thread ID: 2260, Module: AeXNetComms.dll
Priority: 2, Source: NetworkOperation

Environment

ITMS 8.x

Cause

In this particular situation, the issue was caused by two registry keys that were set to value of '1' on the Symantec Management Platform:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Altiris\eXpress\Notification Server\PauseNSMessaging

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Altiris\eXpress\Notification Server\PauseTaskManagers

By default those should be set to '0'. Having any of these keys set to '1' causes to send the status message of "Paused"

Resolution

Try the following:

Check that the following registry keys are set to the value of '0':
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Altiris\eXpress\Notification Server\PauseNSMessaging

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Altiris\eXpress\Notification Server\PauseTaskManagers
Restart Altiris Services service
Try to again register one of the affected client machines

If the issue still persists or the mentioned regkeys are already set to value '0', please refer to the following articles for further troubleshooting steps:
Clients are unable to register or connect to a new Task Server

Tasks are Timing Out Because They Lose Connection to the CMDB