Package Server is unable to download packages from NS

Products

• Management Platform (Formerly known as Notification Server)

Issue/Introduction

Several package servers are unable to download packages from the NS. The status of many packages are at Download Pending and a small number are Invalid

In the package server agent logs are a series of the same warning and error sequences (excerpts of the log):

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Description: Error while downloading package: HTTP Request Failed: Access is denied. (-2147024891)

Description: Download Package failed: HTTP Request Failed: Access is denied. (-2147024891)

Description: HTTP Request Failed: Access is denied. (-2147024891)

Description: GetFiles 'HTTP://Server.FQDN/Altiris/Packages/%7B14351f90-ae08-4c57-a19a-accd493aa63b%7D/Windows6.1-KB974571-x64.msu'->'\\Server\Library\Patches\42a83b6d-4405-40d9-bd80-decdde6b76f2

Description: Cannot create directory: 0x80070005 [Access is denied] \\Server\Library\Patches\42a83b6d-4405-40d9-bd80-decdde6b76f2

Description: Unable to set security for file '\\Server\Library\Patches\42a83b6d-4405-40d9-bd80-decdde6b76f2', Error:The system cannot find the file specified(2)

Description: Unable to get buffer length for SD of file '\\Server\Library\Patches\42a83b6d-4405-40d9-bd80-decdde6b76f2' (2)
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Cause

Insufficient rights to the share/path to where the packages are to be downloaded.  In this case the Patch Management "Microsoft" configuration had an alternate path specified in the "Use alternate download location on Package Server" which specified the packages would be downloaded to another share using the following value in the box:

\\%COMPUTERNAME%\Library\Patches\<guid>

The problem was that only local administrators had rights to the share and not the agent logon account. Group everyone had "Read" rights.

Environment

ITMS 7.x, 8.x

Resolution

Added the agent logon account as a trustee of the volume/path (or promoted the rights of group Everyone) giving the following rights:

Read, Write, Modify