Unable to generate policy XML for item. Empty agent version provided
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Unable to generate policy XML for item. Empty agent version provided

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Article ID: 231547

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Updated On:

Products

IT Management Suite Client Management Suite

Issue/Introduction

Some Symantec Agent machines are generating errors referring to:

Unable to generate policy XML for item: 'Microsoft Silverlight - Uninstall2' (433329c8-f33d-4ed1-a9c0-82b4d66c2aa1), resource: 858f9d43-2c15-4d10-a78a-f890249a3d05

Empty agent version provided

The agent logs show that is requesting its configuration:

Calling NS server endpoint 'HTTPS://itms02.example.com/Altiris/NS/Agent/GetClientPolicies.aspx', ID: {32FB5E6D-4E8B-4965-9E4F-9642A99A95E6}
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Date: 12/14/2021 11:09:31 AM, Tick Count: 1314268968 (15.05:04:28.9680000), Size: 371 B
Process: AeXNSAgent.exe (8820), Thread ID: 10540, Module: AeXNSAgent.exe
Priority: 4, Source: Agent

And the NS logs show its response to that request:

Unable to generate policy XML for item: 'Microsoft Silverlight - Uninstall2' (433329c8-f33d-4ed1-a9c0-82b4d66c2aa1), resource: 858f9d43-2c15-4d10-a78a-f890249a3d05

Empty agent version provided
   [Altiris.NS.Exceptions.AeXException @ Altiris.SoftwareManagement]
   at Altiris.SoftwareManagement.SoftwareDelivery.SWDTaskBasedPolicy.GetAgentVerion(String agentVersion)
   at Altiris.SoftwareManagement.SoftwareDelivery.SWDTaskBasedPolicy.OnGetConfigXml4(IClientConfigRequest request)
   at Altiris.NS.AgentManagement.PolicyRequest.BuildPolicyXml(LoadIdentData data, IItem item)
   at Altiris.Database.DatabaseContext`1.RetryAction(Int32 retries, Boolean transacted, Getter`1 getContext, Action`1 action, Action`1 retry, DeadlockRetryArgs& re, Exception& exception, Boolean inTransaction)
   at Altiris.Database.DatabaseContext`1.PerformWithDeadlockRetryHelper(Int32 retries, Boolean inTransaction, Getter`1 getContext, Action`1 action, Action`1 retry, Boolean transacted)
   at Altiris.Database.DatabaseContext`1.PerformWithDeadlockRetry(Int32 retries, Boolean startNewTransaction, Nullable`1 isolationLevel, Boolean independentContext, Action`1 action, Action`1 retry)
   at Altiris.NS.AgentManagement.PolicyRequest.BuildPolicyXml(LoadIdentData data, IPolicyCacheEntryBuilder builder, ISet`1& requiredPermissions)

Exception logged from: 
   at Altiris.NS.AgentManagement.PolicyRequest.BuildPolicyXml(Altiris.NS.AgentManagement.PolicyRequest+LoadIdentData, Altiris.NS.AgentManagement.PolicyCache+IPolicyCacheEntryBuilder, Altiris.Common.Collections.Generic.ISet`1[System.Guid]&)
   at Altiris.NS.AgentManagement.PolicyRequest.BuildPolicy(Altiris.NS.AgentManagement.PolicyRequest+LoadIdentData, Altiris.NS.AgentManagement.PolicyCache+IPolicyCacheEntryBuilder)
   at Altiris.NS.AgentManagement.PolicyRequest.GetPolicyByBuilder(Altiris.NS.AgentManagement.PolicyRequest+LoadIdentData, Altiris.NS.AgentManagement.PolicyCache+IPolicyCacheEntry, Altiris.NS.AgentManagement.PolicyCache+EPolicyBuildState&)
   at Altiris.NS.AgentManagement.PolicyRequest.GetPolicy(Altiris.NS.AgentManagement.PolicyRequest+LoadIdentData, Altiris.Profiling.CodeProfiling.CodeProfiler)
   at Altiris.NS.AgentManagement.PolicyRequest.LoadIdentPolicy(Altiris.NS.AgentManagement.PolicyRequest+LoadIdentData, Altiris.Common.Collections.Generic.NullableDictionary<System.Guid,Altiris.NS.AgentManagement.PolicyRequest+PolicyPriority>, System.Collections.Generic.ICollection`1[System.Guid]&)
   at Altiris.NS.AgentManagement.PolicyRequest.LoadItemPolicy(Altiris.NS.AgentManagement.PolicyRequest+ParseRequestResult, Altiris.NS.AgentManagement.PolicyRequest+LoadIdentData, System.Guid, Altiris.Common.Collections.Generic.NullableDictionary<System.Guid,Altiris.NS.AgentManagement.PolicyRequest+PolicyPriority>, System.Collections.Generic.ICollection`1[System.Guid]&)
   at Altiris.NS.AgentManagement.PolicyRequest.LoadItemPolicies(Altiris.NS.AgentManagement.PolicyRequest+ParseRequestResult, Boolean)
   at Altiris.NS.AgentManagement.PolicyRequest.GetPolicies(String, Boolean, String&)
   at Altiris.Web.NS.Agent.GetClientPoliciesHandler.HandleRequest(System.Web.HttpContext, Altiris.Web.NS.Agent.GetClientPoliciesHandlerData, Int32)
   at Altiris.NS.WebHandlers.AltirisHttpHandlerBase<T>.ProcessRequest(System.Web.HttpContext, T, Int32)
   at Altiris.NS.WebHandlers.AltirisHttpHandlerBase<T>.ProcessRequest(System.Web.HttpContext)
   at System.Web.HttpApplication+CallHandlerExecutionStep.System.Web.HttpApplication.IExecutionStep.Execute()
   at System.Web.HttpApplication.ExecuteStepImpl(System.Web.HttpApplication+IExecutionStep)
   at System.Web.HttpApplication.ExecuteStep(System.Web.HttpApplication+IExecutionStep, Boolean&)
   at System.Web.HttpApplication+PipelineStepManager.ResumeSteps(Exception)
   at System.Web.HttpApplication.BeginProcessRequestNotification(System.Web.HttpContext, AsyncCallback)
   at System.Web.HttpRuntime.ProcessRequestNotificationPrivate(System.Web.Hosting.IIS7WorkerRequest, System.Web.HttpContext)
   at System.Web.Hosting.PipelineRuntime.ProcessRequestNotificationHelper(IntPtr, IntPtr, IntPtr, Int32)
   at System.Web.Hosting.PipelineRuntime.ProcessRequestNotification(IntPtr, IntPtr, IntPtr, Int32)
   at System.Web.Hosting.UnsafeIISMethods.MgdIndicateCompletion(IntPtr, System.Web.RequestNotificationStatus&)
   at System.Web.Hosting.UnsafeIISMethods.MgdIndicateCompletion(IntPtr, System.Web.RequestNotificationStatus&)
   at System.Web.Hosting.PipelineRuntime.ProcessRequestNotificationHelper(IntPtr, IntPtr, IntPtr, Int32)
   at System.Web.Hosting.PipelineRuntime.ProcessRequestNotification(IntPtr, IntPtr, IntPtr, Int32)

HTTP [POST]: https://itms02.example.com/Altiris/NS/Agent/GetClientPolicies.aspx
 ip: [10.1.204.79]; x-sma-version: [8.5.5773.0]; languages: [en-US]; content-length: [3016];
 response: [200 OK]; x-smp-nsversion: [8.5.5713.0];

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Date: 12/14/2021 11:09:33 AM, Tick Count: 1410675453 (16.07:51:15.4530000), Size: 5.15 KB
Process: w3wp (16504), Thread ID: 383, Module: w3wp.exe
Priority: 1, Source: Altiris.NS.AgentManagement.PolicyRequest.BuildPolicyXml

Environment

ITMS 8.x

Cause

Software Management Framework (SMF) requires the version for plugin to be in request, which is missing:

 var agentVersion = request.GetPluginVersion("SMFAgent.SMFAgent");

SMF uses the NS Core API: PolicyRequest.LoadIdentData.GetPluginVersion.

For some reason, the API is returning a null or empty string.

Resolution

The affected client machines may actually be missing some plugins, especially Software Management Framework Agent and Software Management Solution Agent. 

The best results have been to reinstall the Symantec Management Agent and its plugins:

1. On one of the affected machines try removing and reinstalling the Symantec Management Agent on it.

    Note: The executables needed can be found at ...\Program Files\Altiris\Altiris Agent

    a) Run the following command line to remove all plugins and the Symantec Management Agent:

         "AeXAgentUtil.exe /uninstallagents /clean"

        This will remove all sub-agents and attempt to cleanly remove the Symantec Management Agent from the system. 

        It should clear out its references and force the SMP to clear out the policy reference for this machine and create new ones.

2. After the agent has been removed, push the Symantec Management Agent to this client machine and enable the proper plugin installation policies, especially the one for the Software Management Solution plugin (SMP Console>Settings menu>All Settings> Agents/Plug-ins>Software>Software Management)

    Note: SMF agent is always installed with the Symantec Management Agent.

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