Why we have the requirement to always have a Package Server for each SMP in a Hierarchy? Can we work without it?

Products

• IT Management Suite

Issue/Introduction

In few occasions we received the question from customers asking the requirement we have to always have a Package Server (PS) for each Symantec Management Platform (SMP) server in a Hierarchy.

The following is an explanation (from engineering) for why we need a PS for each SMP in a Hierarchy, how to set this up, and how to get around it if you're not interested in package replication in your Hierarchy.

There is a requirement that states that a Package Server must exist within the same Site as the SMP. This does not necessarily mean that the Package Server must be deployed within the same subnet as the SMP. So long as there is at least one Package Server deployed within the whole environment (doesn't’t matter which subnet) it can be manually assigned to the site that contains the SMP subnet, thus fulfilling the hierarchy setup requirement. These steps are outlined below under “Steps to manually assign a Package Server to the SMP Site.” 

 

The reason a Package Server needs to be limited to the SMP site is so that certain Package Servers can be dedicated to download replicated packages across the Hierarchy, as most commonly it would be undesirable to have all Package Servers doing this. 

 

Keep in mind that if you do wish to replicate packages and distribute them, the Package Server you assign to the SMP child site must be able to connect to the Package Servers in the Parent SMP site. If you don’t care about package replication at this point and just wish to setup Hierarchy, you can happily use the below manual assignment method. Also note that if you manually assign a Package Server to the SMP site this Package Server will be given as a possible source to any Agents/Package Servers that exist within this Site.

 

Additionally, once a Hierarchy is set up, you could actually break the manual package server assignment and the Hierarchy would remain intact. The steps for manually breaking the package server site assignment are outlined below under “Steps to un-assign a Package Server from a Site that is manually assigned.”

Resolution

If you do not wish to replicate packages within your Hierarchy, you can just carry out the below mentioned Package Server manual assignment prior to setting up the Hierarchy, and once the Hierarchy is joined you can remove the Package Server manual assignment quite easily. The SMP does not keep checking that this assignment exists, but only checks when the SMP servers are joined in a Hierarchy.

 

Steps to manually assign a Package Server to the SMP Site:

1.      Go to the Site Server settings page

2.      Create a site and add the SMP subnet to the site

a.       Next you need to manually assign any Package Server to serve this site.

b.      The subnet of the Package Server will not be assigned to the site

3.      Select the node named ‘Site Servers’ in the left hand tree pane

4.      In the right pane, select the particular Package Server from the grid

5.      Click the ‘Assign to site’ button on the toolbar

6.      Assign to site dialog will appear. Select the site that contains the SMP subnet.

 

 

Steps to un-assign a Package Server from a Site that is manually assigned:

1.      Go to the Site Server Settings page

2.      Select the site name from the left hand tree pane. (In this case you would select the SMP site)

3.      In the right pane select ‘Site Servers’ from the ‘View’ drop down selection box

4.      Within the grid you will see the Package Server showing up with a ‘Manually Assigned’ ticked box

5.      Select this Package Server and click the delete button on the toolbar. This does not delete the machine; it just removes the manual assignment to the Site.

6.      A popup will appear - “Are you sure that you want to un-assign ‘PSName’?”

7.      Select ‘Ok’. The PS is now not assigned to the Site