How to disable WINS in jCIFS hostname lookup order to avoid error messages

Products

• Data Loss Prevention Enforce

Issue/Introduction

When reviewing localhost logs on the Enforce Server an error message like below may be noticed:

SEVERE [jcifs.config.PropertyConfiguration] UniAddress resolveOrder specifies WINS however  WINS server has not been configured

 

The localhost log is by default located in the following directory:

C:\ProgramData\Symantec\DataLossPrevention\EnforceServer\EnforceServer\XX.Y.ZZZZZ\logs\tomcat

Replace XX.Y.ZZZZZ with the version corresponding to the current DLP version installed on the Enforce Server.

Environment

15.8 or lower

Cause

The jCIFS library is used to mount to network shares. It is used, for example, when running document indexing jobs configured to use a remote SMB Share directly from the Enforce Server.

During the process the jCIFS library resolves the hostnames of the shares specified. By default the order which is used for hostname resolution is:

1. LMHOST

Using the LMHOSTS File to Resolve a Name Query | Microsoft Docs

2. WINS

Windows Internet Name Service (WINS) | Microsoft Docs

3. DNS

Domain Name System (DNS) | Microsoft Docs

 

WINS is a legacy name resolution technology provided by Microsoft. It is currently not commonly used and thus usually not configured. However due to the default configuration jCIFS will attempt to use WINS and since it is not configured in most environments it will fail with the error message specified above.

 

Resolution

If the WINS is indeed not configured in the environment then the error message can be ignored. jCIFS hostname resolution will continue to work with LMHOST, or DNS. WINS will be ignored after throwing the error message.

 

However to avoid the message from appearing and to clean up the logs WINS can be removed from the jCIFS configuration:

1. On the Enforce Server navigate to the following path:

C:\Program Files\Symantec\DataLossPrevention\EnforceServer\XX.Y.ZZZZZ\Protect\config

2. Open the following properties file with a text editor of preference:

Jcifs.properties

3. Locate the below line in the file:

jcifs.resolveOrder=LMHOSTS,WINS,DNS

4. Remove WINS from the line so that it has the following form:

jcifs.resolveOrder=LMHOSTS,DNS

5. Save the file

6. Restart Enforce Server services in the correct order as described in the article linked below:

Restart DLP Enforce services in the correct order (broadcom.com)

 

Upon changing the configuration and restarting the services jCIFS will no loner attempt to use WINS and so the error message will not longer be thrown.