Client Automation - Prevent the Host UUID from changing on virtualized environments

Products

• CA Client Automation - IT Client Manager
• CA Client Automation

Issue/Introduction

When a system is virtualized some unexpected behavior is noticed such as

• causing an RAC job to be initiated
• Scalability server components become unregistered
• Manager become inoperable.

Environment

Client Automation - All Versions

Cause

When a system is virtualized the Hardware change causes the HostUUID to be recalculated

Resolution

Follow the guidelines below and there should not be any issues with virtualizing the systems

1. Managers cannot change their name, not even the Fully Qualified Domain Name (FQDN). If the name is changed the Managers will suffer multiple issues. Changing the Name of a Manager System is not supported
2. If a Manager or Scalability server changes it's IP then this must resolve correctly in DNS
3. prevent the HostUUID from changing by locking it.
   •  Windows
     • HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\ComputerAssociates\HostUUID
       or
       HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Wow6432Node\ComputerAssociates\HostUUID
        
       and add the STRING
        
       LockHostUUID
value =1
   • Unix \ Linux
     • Create a new file named "calockuuid" in the folder "/etc"
4. Test the entire process in a sandbox environment before attempting this on a production system.

Additional Information

Ensure you have a full Backup as per the Client automation Backup and restore procedure explained in the official documentation: 

Backup and Restore Procedures for DSM Managers on Microsoft SQL Server MDB

Backup and Restore Procedures on an Oracle Database