Error : agent initialization errors and will not service requests
Article ID: 205690
Updated On:
Products
Issue/Introduction
When starting SiteMinder Web Agent on top of IIS as a webserver, IIS
server returns 500 internal server error. Restarting the IIS solved
issue.
"SiteMinder agent has encountered initialization errors and will not service requests"
is seen in the Application Event logs.
Environment
Web Agent all versions
Cause
SmHost.conf contains 2 Policy Servers, it turns out that the first
Policy Server on the list is down.
The AgentWaitTime parameter which can be set in the WebAgent.conf file
for the affected Agents (1).
This parameter was introduced to help offset any network delays in the
environment causing a delay in the Web Agent receiving it's
configuration information from the Policy Server.
This parameter defines the amount of time in seconds that the Web
Agent will wait to attempt to attach to the Message Bus.
Please implement the 'AgentWaitTime' parameter in the WebAgent.conf
files for this Web Agent. Default: 5
Example: If you have primary and secondary policy servers, use a value
between 60 and 80.
The value of AgentWaitTime depends on the number of policy servers in
HCO. As a rule of thumb, the AgentWaitTime will be the number of
Policy Servers times 30 seconds + some extra 10 seconds, as a latency
time, just to be sure.
This 10 seconds time is added and may be necessary in case of:
Smhost.conf lists multiple policy servers. The first is down, the
second is up, but the HCO lists the first on top of list so more time
is wasted trying to connect to it. Process in more detail:
When starting the Web Server, it loads Siteminder Web Agent filter
(WA).
Then WA spawns a new process for the Worker Process (LLAWP), and
continues to try to attach to a message bus that will be created by
the LLAWP. WA will keep trying to attach to this message bus for a
default of about 5 seconds, but this wait time can be configured thru
'agentwaittime' key in Webagent.conf.
Now, LLAWP tries to attach to the first policy server (PS1) specified
in smhost.conf (using the agentapi). The message bus the WA is
waiting for still doesn't exist. If PS1 is unreachable, LLAWP will
wait exactly 30 seconds before it times out and moves to the next
policy server in the smhost.conf (PS2). Once successfully connected to
PS2, it will retrieve the HCO information and use this info from now
on. If in the HCO there are also PS1 and PS2 in that order, the LLAWP
will now try to connect to PS1 again, waiting 30 more seconds before
it times out (we're at 60 seconds now). Then it will move to PS2 and
continue its flow and will create that long awaited message bus.
So in this configuration it would be right to define an AgentWaitTime
of 60 + some extra time for safety - let's say 10 or even 20 seconds.
Then the WA will wait for 70-80 seconds for the message bus and will
work properly.
Resolution
- Update agentwaittime under webagent.conf file and restart the IIS and
monitor the environment.
Additional Information
(1)
AgentWaitTime Explained
https://knowledge.broadcom.com/external/article?articleId=212369
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