The package servers are having a hard time trying to download certain packages. The packages just stay as "Retrying download" status.
There are multiple warning messages on the NS logs regarding packages and the path where those packages reside.
For example:
Unable to manage the distribution points under user [ExampleDomain\AltirisAdmin] for package: 'PuTTY release 0.70 x64' (10076fb5-3484-48a8-94cd-3a29e75f862e)
Could not access the path for package: 'PuTTY release 0.70 x64' (10076fb5-3484-48a8-94cd-3a29e75f862e), path=D:\Apps\Putty\MSI installer
[System.UnauthorizedAccessException @ Altiris.NS.StandardItems]
at Altiris.NS.StandardItems.SoftwareDelivery.SWDSupport.<>c__DisplayClass24_0.<ValidatePackageForMdp>b__0()
at Altiris.NS.StandardItems.SoftwareDelivery.AccPackageAreaExtensions.Execute(IAccPackageArea area, Action action)
at Altiris.NS.StandardItems.SoftwareDelivery.SWDSupport.DistributionPointsPackageArea.Enter(PackageItem pkgItem, Boolean snapshotOnly)
at Altiris.NS.StandardItems.SoftwareDelivery.SWDSupport.ManageDistributionPoints(PackageItem pkgItem, Boolean snapshotOnly, ICollection`1 agentGuids)
Access to path 'D:\Apps\Putty\MSI installer' has been denied.
[System.UnauthorizedAccessException @ Altiris.Common]
at Altiris.Common.IO.LongPathDirectory.Exists(String path)
at Altiris.NS.StandardItems.SoftwareDelivery.SWDSupport.<>c__DisplayClass24_0.<ValidatePackageForMdp>b__0() ...
User [ExampleDomain\AltirisAdmin], Auth [ExampleDomain\AltirisAdmin], AppDomain [AeXSVC.exe]
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Date: 11/18/2020 1:00:02 PM, Tick Count: 2266216703 (26.05:30:16.7030000), Size: 7.96 KB
Process: AeXSvc (3792), Thread ID: 23, Module: Altiris.NS.StandardItems.dll
Priority: 2, Source: Altiris.NS.StandardItems.SoftwareDelivery.SWDSupport.ManageDistributionPoints
ITMS 8.x
The account used didn't have enough rights to the folder where those packages resided.
Add/verify the desired User account as a trustee of the volume/path (or promoted the rights of group Everyone) giving at least the following rights:
Read, Write, Modify
In some cases, you may need to add the following accounts:
Everyone --> Read & Execute, List File Content, Read
System --> Full Control
Network Service --> Read & Execute, List File Content, Read
Administrators --> Full Control
IIS_IUSRS --> Read & Execute, List File Content, Read