CAF Start fails with the error "Failed to connect: A required subsystem failed to start"

Products

• CA Automation Suite for Data Centers - Configuration Automation
• CA Client Automation - Asset Management
• CA Client Automation - IT Client Manager
• CA Client Automation
• CA Client Automation - Remote Control
• CA Client Automation - Asset Intelligence
• CA Client Automation - Desktop Migration Manager
• CA Client Automation - Patch Manager
• CA IT Asset Manager
• CA Software Asset Manager (CA SAM)
• ASSET PORTFOLIO MGMT- SERVER
• CA Server Automation
• CA Service Management - Asset Portfolio Management
• CA Service Management - Service Desk Manager

Issue/Introduction

After a fresh installation of DSM, sometimes the initial start up of the CAF Service fails with the following error:

Error: "Failed to connect: A required subsystem failed to start"

Below is the output you would see when you execute the command 'CAF START'

Starting caf service...
Waiting for service to confirm startup...
Connecting to caf process...
CA DSM r12 Common Application Framework 12.x.x.xxxx
Starting all DSM services...
Session messaging server (smserver)...Worker process did not send a ready message - continuing anyway.
Connecting to session messaging server...

[0] Retrying connection...
...
[9] Retrying connection...
Failed to connect: A required subsystem failed to start. Please check logs for details.

: SmInitialize The command failed.
c:\Program Files\ca\dsm\bin\CAF.exe exited on <hostname> with error code 1.

Environment

Client Automation - All Versions

Resolution

This error generally occurs if the Environment variable 'PATH' is not updated properly with the DSM Agent path.

Execute the command 'Set' and check if the following are listed:

CAI_CAFT=C:\Program Files\CA\SC\CAM
CAI_MSQ=C:\Program Files\CA\SC\CAM
CAI_MSQ_NOWV=y
CASHCOMP=C:\Program Files\CA\SharedComponents\

The 'PATH' variable should have the following defined for proper functioning of the DSM Agent:

C:\Program Files\CA\SC\CAWIN\

C:\Program Files\CA\DSM\bin

C:\Program Files\CA\SC\CAM\bin

NOTE: The output of 'PATH' shown above contains the path information that is needed for Unicenter DSM Agents only. The output you would see on your machines might differ from what is shown here. The information shown above is just for reference.