moving robot with proxy_mode enabled using superpackage does not complete succesfully

Products

• DX Unified Infrastructure Management (Nimsoft / UIM)

Issue/Introduction

If your robot has proxy mode enabled (proxy_mode = 1) and you update the robot.cfg hubip manually or via superpackages as per KB Move hundreds of robots to a new hub using superpackages this leaves a robot entry in original robot and discovery information goes back to original hub (hub information in inventory is overwritten).

• Why does this happen? 
• How can I avoid this from happening?
• How can I move proxy mode enabled robots safely from one hub to an other? 
• Instructions to move proxy_mode enabled robots from a hub to an other hub. 

Environment

• DX UIM 23.4.* 
• any robot version
• "Proxy_mode = 1" in robot.cfg

Cause

• When proxy mode is enabled (proxy robot) the mechanism with which the robot is removed from source ("checkin - hint remove") is discarded by design. By design, proxy configuration puts a high security and do not accept requests from unknown source. 
  
  Example shown in log: 
  
  NON PROXY MODE CONTROLLER (no issue):
  Feb  9 12:53:48:138 [xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx] 1 Controller: checkin - hint remove to /<example_domain>/<example_hub>/<example_robot>/hub 192.168.1.2
   
   
  PROXY MODE CONTROLLER (enforced security) (issue occurs): 
  Feb  9 12:53:28:129 [xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx] 5 Controller: Command 'checkin' not in command-list



• Consequently as soon as the robot fails on the original hub it sends a "Down" status message to the discovery_server which updates the discovery, actually revering back the hub information to the original one
  
  Example: 
  
  Line 200882: Feb 05 09:58:30:826 [attach_clientsession, discovery_server] Received robot change event: onhubaddr=/<example_domain>/<example_hub>/<example_robot>/hub robot=/<example_domain>/<example_hub>/<example_robot> status=Down(2)
Line 200883: Feb 05 09:58:30:826 [attach_clientsession, discovery_server] Updating Robot Details /<example_domain>/<example_hub>/<example_robot>

Resolution

• The issue with proxy_mode disabled, (equals to 0), Does not occur. When the robot is moved, a  Controller: checkin - hint remove to is sent so the original robot is removed. 
  
  
• When proxy_mode is enabled (equals to 0), The hub update prcoess leaves the original robot in "red state" and the discovery information (hub showing in inventory) back to the original hub.  To fix that manually:
   
  • Remove the robot from IM manually (Right click > Remove)
  • Restart the robot on the target hub. 
    
    This fixes the issue. 
    
    

Additional Information

Alternatives for moving robots effectively 

Superpackages (Deployment possible from Admin Console and IM):
Moving robots to other hubs for proxy-mode-robots is not supported by only updating the robot.cfg (superpackage) but it requires the original robot to be manually removed.
A possible workaround is to temporary set proxy mode = 0 and set it back once robot move is completed.  This entire process can be achieved via Admin Console access / superpackages. 

 

Infrastructure Manager (IM) Tools:
Move robots using (IM) select robots massively or groups and issue "hubset" callback. this supports moving robot even if in Proxy Mode as a "removerobot" callback is triggered in the same logic. 

 

Command line (PU) or script:
hubset callback can be also issued by command line pu command, this supports moving robot even if in Proxy Mode as a "removerobot" callback is triggered in the same logic. 



Related KBs:

Move robots to another hub using a probe utility callback in DX UIM (Broadcom.com)
Move hundreds of robots to a new hub using superpackages
Ensure data consistency when Moving UIM robots or probes from one hub or robot to another
Moving hubs or robots to a different UIM domain