Basic troubleshooting steps for Linux agent

Products

• IT Management Suite

Issue/Introduction

 How to troubleshoot the Linux agent?

What are some places of possible failure and troubleshooting steps when working with the Software Update Agent for Redhat or Suse Linux?

Note: This applies to the Altiris Agent for Unix, Linux and Macintosh in ITMS 8.x.

Environment

ITMS 8.x

Resolution

This agent is installed through a Task Server task, as such one of the first items to check is that it is registered with a task server:

Settings> Notification Server> Site Server Settings then expand Site Management> Site Servers and select the package server it should be registered with.  Expand the Task Service section if it is not and verify that the agent is registered and active.

From the Agent verify that basic communication is happening by sending basic inventory and requesting an update configuration:

To refresh the client policies
/opt/altiris/notification/nsagent/bin aex-helper agent -p 

To send basic inventory
/opt/altiris/notification/nsagent/bin aex-helper agent -i

 Check to see if the agent shows it is register with a Task Server and check for tasks:

To see the Task server it is register with
/opt/altiris/notification/ctagent/bin aex-cta ts

To check for updated tasks
/opt/altiris/notification/ctagent/bin aex-cta refresh

Evaluate the agent logs located at /opt/altiris/notification/nsagent/var aex-client.log

One common issue is with Package Servers. Linux boxes will not be able to authenticate for UNC downloads, only HTTP URLs.  Because of this package servers must have IIS installed and be distributing http codebases. IIS should be installed prior to configuring the machine as a package server.

Look at Resource Manager for the computer to see if any of the events coming back indicate a problem.

 

Additional Information

176609 NS Agent for Unix, Linux and Macintosh commands and command-line parameters