K8S_JOB fails to start due to COMM_ERR_17 err resullting in -655 failure.

Products

• Workload Automation Agent

Issue/Introduction

We have a Kubernetes job (K8S_JOB) that we are trying to execute through AutoSys. The job is failing to start and eventually fails with -655.

Job Name                                                         Last Start           Last End             ST/Ex Run/Ntry Pri/Xit
________________________________________________________________ ____________________ ____________________ _____ ________ _______
KUB_qa_test_job                                    -----                03/26/2026 11:27:00  FA    0/4      -655   

  Status/[Event]                Time                 Ntry ES  ProcessTime           Machine
  ----------------------------  --------------------- --  --  --------------------- -------
  [FORCE_STARTJOB]              03/26/2026 11:20:34    0  PD  03/26/2026 11:20:35          
  STARTING                      03/26/2026 11:20:35    1  PD  03/26/2026 11:20:35   localhost
  [*** ALARM ***]
    STARTJOBFAIL                03/26/2026 11:20:35    1  PD  03/26/2026 11:20:36   localhost
    <COMM_ERR_17 Waiting for the agent on machine [localhost] to communicate its support for this job's type or advanced features.>
  RESTART                       03/26/2026 11:20:45    1  PD  03/26/2026 11:20:45          
    <System Restart - Job [KUB_qa_test_job] was unable to start.>
  [FORCE_STARTJOB]              03/26/2026 11:21:00    2  PD  03/26/2026 11:21:00          
    <Scheduled due to RESTART event.>
  STARTING                      03/26/2026 11:21:00    2  PD  03/26/2026 11:21:00   localhost
  [*** ALARM ***]
    STARTJOBFAIL                03/26/2026 11:21:00    2  PD  03/26/2026 11:21:01   localhost
    <COMM_ERR_17 Waiting for the agent on machine [localhost] to communicate its support for this job's type or advanced features.>
  RESTART                       03/26/2026 11:21:10    2  PD  03/26/2026 11:21:10          
    <System Restart - Job [KUB_qa_test_job] was unable to start.>
  [FORCE_STARTJOB]              03/26/2026 11:21:30    3  PD  03/26/2026 11:21:30          
    <Scheduled due to RESTART event.>
  STARTING                      03/26/2026 11:21:30    3  PD  03/26/2026 11:21:30   localhost
  [*** ALARM ***]
    STARTJOBFAIL                03/26/2026 11:21:30    3  PD  03/26/2026 11:21:31   localhost
    <COMM_ERR_17 Waiting for the agent on machine [localhost] to communicate its support for this job's type or advanced features.>
  RESTART                       03/26/2026 11:21:40    3  PD  03/26/2026 11:21:40          
    <System Restart - Job [KUB_qa_test_job] was unable to start.>
  [*** ALARM ***]
    MAX_RETRYS                  03/26/2026 11:21:40    3  PD  03/26/2026 11:21:41   localhost
  FAILURE                       03/26/2026 11:21:40    3  PD  03/26/2026 11:21:41          
    <Have EXCEEDED the Max # of times (3) to attempt a restart.  Something is wrong and needs to be investigated manually.>
  [*** ALARM ***]
    JOBFAILURE                  03/26/2026 11:21:41    3  PD  03/26/2026 11:21:42   localhost
  [FORCE_STARTJOB]              03/26/2026 11:26:50    0  PD  03/26/2026 11:26:50          
  STARTING                      03/26/2026 11:26:50    4  PD  03/26/2026 11:26:50   localhost
  [*** ALARM ***]
    STARTJOBFAIL                03/26/2026 11:26:50    4  PD  03/26/2026 11:26:51   localhost
    <COMM_ERR_17 Waiting for the agent on machine [localhost] to communicate its support for this job's type or advanced features.>
  RESTART                       03/26/2026 11:27:00    4  PD  03/26/2026 11:27:00          
    <System Restart - Job [KUB_qa_test_job] was unable to start.>
  [*** ALARM ***]
    MAX_RETRYS                  03/26/2026 11:27:00    4  PD  03/26/2026 11:27:01   localhost
  FAILURE                       03/26/2026 11:27:00    4  PD  03/26/2026 11:27:01          
    <Have EXCEEDED the Max # of times (3) to attempt a restart.  Something is wrong and needs to be investigated manually.>
  [*** ALARM ***]
    JOBFAILURE                  03/26/2026 11:27:01    4  PD  03/26/2026 11:27:02   localhost

Cause

The Kubernetes plugin may not be installed on the agent.

 

Resolution

• Check to ensure that the Kubernetes plugin is installed on the agent.

  •  ./cybAgent -vv

    Workload Automation Agent for:
   Linux x86_64 64-bit
   Version  24.1.00-8235

    Functionality Installed with Agent:
   Name                               Enabled
   - config                             No
   - filebrowser                        Yes
   - filemon                            Yes
   - ftp                                Yes
   - management                         No
   - objmon                             Yes
   - router                             Yes
   - runner                             Yes
   - snmp                               No

    Additional Integrations/Plugins Installed on Agent:
   Name                               Enabled   Version
   - Database                           No      24.1.00-2522
   - Web Services                       No      24.1.00-3294
   - Web Services [PAM]                 No      24.1.00-3294
   - Web/Application Services [Data]    No      24.1.00-3294
   - Application Services               No      24.1.00-3294
   - MS SQL Server                      No      24.1.00-2377
   - Remote Execution                   No      24.1.00-2565
   - PeopleSoft                         No      24.1.00-2799
   - Oracle E-Business Suite            No      24.1.00-2344
   - SAP                                No      24.1.00-2838
   - Informatica                        No      24.1.00-2439
   - Micro Focus                        No      24.1.00-2381

Additional Advanced Integrations Installed on Agent:
   Name                               Enabled   Version
   - Hadoop                             No      24.1.00-2769

    Plugin Extensions Configured on Agent:
   Name                               Version
   - HTTP Client POJO SDK             3.4.0
   - XPath / JSONPath Parser          1

    
    Built at: Sep 12 2025, 02:21:02


    Notice that the K8S plugin is not listed under the Additional Integrations/Plugins Installed on Agent section
    
    
• Check the agentparm.txt file to ensure the Kubernetes plugin is correctly configured and pointing to the right library directory.
  There should be a reference to the plugin as follows:
  

  #
# Added by Installer for k8s
#

  plugins.start_internal_7=k8s

  If this is not listed in the agentparm, then the plugin is not installed.

Follow the documentation to Install WA Agent for Kubernetes.