Configuring Unix, Linux and Macintosh clients to communicate with a specific Notification Server

Products

• IT Management Suite

Issue/Introduction

How to configure Unix, Linux and Macintosh clients to communicate with a specific Notification Server?

Environment

ITMS 8.x

Resolution

Short answer:

sudo ./aex-configure -iconfigure
sudo ./rcscript start

Long Answer:

The NS Agent 'bin' directory, referred to below is found at:

Unix & Linux:  /opt/altiris/notification/nsagent/bin
Macintosh:    /opt/altiris/notification/nsagent/bin 

'cd' to the appropriate bin directory.

Run: "sudo ./rcscript stop".

Run: 'sudo ./aex-configure -iconfigure".

The first prompt is for the NS server name or URL. The client computer must be able to resolve the name of the NS server, both as entered here and as the NS server expects to be called (these could be different but is not recommended). The name must resolve either via a name service, e.g., DNS, BIND, etc. or via an entry in the client's /etc/hosts file. Enter any of the following for the NS server name:   

<Short hostname>
<FQDN>
http://<shortname>
http://<shortname:port>
http://<FQDN>
http://<FQDN:port>

Note* When setting up client communication disregard  <>

Press 'Enter' for the remaining 12-14 prompts to accept the default or existing values.

The Altiris service/process should start automatically. If necessary, run: "sudo ./rcscript start".

Additional info:

The Unix agent includes the utility named /opt/altiris/notification/nsagent/bin/aex-configure.

Among other things, this utility allows for redirecting the client to a new/different NS Server. To do this, stop the agent and run aex-configure and follow the prompts. In most cases, the defaults will be used. The NS Agent for Unix process should be stopped prior to running this utility.

sudo ./rcscript stop

Note: There is a non-interactive method to run this utility. This requires the existence of an  .aex-agent-install-config.xml file, as found in the Agent Rollout, Install Altiris UNIX Agent, 3rd tab of the "Install Settings" screen. The .XML file contains the information required to reconfigure the solution.

Following are details of the aex-configure utility:

Altiris Agent for UNIX and Linux Configuration utility.
Usage:

        aex-configure.bin [options]
        aex-configure.bin <command> [command-options]

Options:

--help, -h - Display this usage information and exit immediately.
           -v - Display Agent's full version and name.
--version - Display version of the application.

Commands:

-clean         Remove aex-configure created files prior to uninstall.
-configure   Automatically configure/upgrade an installation from an XML config file.
-iconfigure  Interactively configure/reconfigure an installation ignoring any XML file.
help            Display help on the specified command

Note: Run 'aex-configure.bin help <command>' to learn more information on how to use certain commands.