Resolving Configuration Publishing Errors in Symantec Messaging Gateway

Products

• Messaging Gateway

Issue/Introduction

When managing the Symantec Messaging Gateway (SMG), administrators may encounter the following error while attempting to create or modify a filter policy or add a domain:

"Configuration saved successfully but could not publish configuration to the following hosts."

Upon saving a configuration, the Control Center logs may show the following error:

java.net.SocketTimeoutException: Read timed out

This error typically indicates that the system was unable to complete the configuration publishing process due to a timeout.

Cause

The error is often attributed to an excessive number of policies or policy groups in the current configuration. Symantec Messaging Gateway's capacity to handle configurations decreases when the number of policies becomes significantly large, causing delays or failures during publishing.

Resolution

To resolve this issue, administrators should streamline their policy configurations by following these steps:

1. Review Policy Groups and Filter Policies

   • Navigate to Content Policies and Policy Group sections in the Symantec Messaging Gateway Control Center.
   • Identify all existing policy groups and filter policies.

2. Identify and Remove Duplicates

   • Look for duplicate entries in policy groups, content filter policies, or conditions.
   • Consolidate or delete unnecessary and redundant policies.

3. Optimize Policy Count

   • Remove outdated or unused policies that are no longer relevant to your organization's needs.
   • Simplify complex policies wherever possible to reduce processing time.

4. Test and Publish

   • After making the necessary changes, save and attempt to publish the configuration again.
   • Ensure that the issue is resolved and the changes are reflected across all hosts.