Symantec Management Platform (Notification Server)

I have seen this issue on various posts on the various knowldegbases but with no luck.

We recently upgraded to NS7 SP4 due to the NS randomly not starting. The upgrade to SP4 fixed that issue to then be replaced with this issue. This is effecting all packages from patch management to Inventory solution.

Under the NS agents when clicking on a package details it is saying "Retrying download" and "Checking Package" also the download source is BLANK. Whereas this should include the location of the said packages. These packages are in the correct place on the server and have not moved.

I have tried updating package Distribution points, uninstalling, re-installing clients among many things but have had no luck.

Please can somebody help?

Below is the full error/warning message from the Altiris logs.

Thanks

G



Log File Name: D:\Program Files\Altiris\Altiris Agent\Logs\Agent.log
Priority: 4
Date: 17/06/2010 15:47:02
Tick Count: 13770750
Host Name: L2-ALTNS-001
Process: aexnsagent.exe (1152)
Thread ID: 6720
Module: AeXPackageDelivery.dll
Source: PackageDelivery
Description: Error while downloading package: No package sources returned by server (-2147023728)

 

and running the NS Package Refresh.

.....with no luck. Actually tried that prior to posting the article. I think that automatically runs every day anyway.

so my apologies for posting it. Check your program files\altiris\notification server\snapshots folder on the NS. You could delete them, and then run the scheduled task to recreate them.

This has been an ongoing issue for us as well.  Recreating the snapshots has not helped.  What's worse is it sometimes occurs and sometimes does not.  There is no logic to which clients it affects or which packages present the issue.

Good news:

The tech and I identified the issue and workaround for this in our case.  In some cases, the NSPackageRefresh scheduled task hangs and never completes.  When this occurs, you start seeing the “Unable to Map HTTP Virtual Directory” errors in the NS logs and clients then get a blank package source at the client and consequently cannot download packages.  The package.xml in the Software Delivery folder on the client will say "statusDescription="No package sources returned by server".

As a workaround, you can do a full server reboot.  Although not confirmed, you may be able to stop the task, then restart IIS to get things functioning again.  You need to be mindful of the package refresh task though and verify it is not hanging after its next run.

I assume this is being treated as a bug at this point by engineering.  I'm just happy I have a workaround.

The technician said they are still looking into the root cause of this issue, and it is being tracked.

On another note, Is it kosher to mark your own post as a solution? 

feel free to mark the solution. Or you can have an admin mark it for you.