Unable to connect to Remote Agents in BESR 2010

[vero]

This does not happen to all of the computers I try and connect to, just the newer models ones. I have been deploying the 2010 agent from my computer to remote PCs and up until now, I have had no problems. When I try to connect to a remote computer that is giving me problems, it asks for network credentials. No matter what I put in it will not let me connect. However, I can deploy the agent to the machine, but after that I can not connect to it to manage it. This has only been happening on newer machines, If we reimage the machine then most of the time it will start working. Sometimes we have to reimage it two or three times. Any ideas? I just find it strange that this only happens on our brand new machines. They are all running XP Pro. Below is an image of the message I receive when trying to connect. 

[BlackSun]

Hello,

i have the same problem.

Do you know a workaround for this problem?

 

[Monoflap]

                         I thought I'd bump this thread since Vero has perfectly captured the same problem I'm having. Nearly all the computers in our office (running XP pro) reported just fine after the windows firewall was turned off, no firewall rules necessary. We use Symantec Endpoint Protection instead which has not interfered with this connection. The only difference is I have not tried to reimage the computers and really would like to avoid that.

• I cannot connect to our two windows 7 computers. The firewall settings are greyed out, but the firewall appears to be off.
• One of our XP pro machines, with the firewall off, still can't connect.
• All the computers are on the same domain and subnet
• All computers have a working network connection
• All three computers exhibit identical behavior to what Vero is showing. 

Help with this issue would be much appreciated!

[BlackSun]

just enable dcom :)

support.sas.com/rnd/itech/doc9/admin_oma/sasserver/comdcom/dcom_enable.html

[BlackSun]

hello,

does it work?

[Monoflap]

Thanks a million! Sorry, I had a long weekend. That did fix the XP pro machine, I'll be trying it on the Windows 7 machines this morning.  While I've got your attention, how does dcom get turned off to begin with? Is there a way to write a batch file to enable it on windows 7 for automation purposes?

[vero]

I enable dcom and still no go. We are also starting to roll out Windows 7 machines, happens on those as well. Any more ideas?

[esxi]

Hello,

I got the same issue !
I'm actually upgrading a lot of win2K3 box with besr 8.5 agent to besr 2010 and if deployment is ok after reboot I can't connect the box to besr to check and scan previous job.

I'always got to enter "network credentials" and I try with domain admin account and it' doesn't work

Any help will be very appreciate

[gesha]

i have same problem. i didn't experience same problem when i connect to WIN xp , just to win 7.
any idea?

[FJHack]

Hi,

I also have the same problem.

DCOM is enabled and is configured that everybody has all permissions. But no connection can be established. All attempts to connect result in an errormessage and the mask vero shows appears.

I get this message on XP 32 bit, 2003 32bit, Win7 32 and 64 bit, 2008r2 64bit machines if I deploy them via silent installation. I've to do so, perhaps the complete factory will be over 100 client machines, not to handle via console.

Some machines (xp 32bit) I've tested weeks ago were installed via console, most of them work correctly, some testmachines running win7 or 2008 cannot be installed via console, they were installed via CD, one of the Win7 clients works all the rest not, all of the 2008 clients don't work, showing this logon-behaviour.

I'm starting to worry! I fear this product is unusable with the new operating systems..

CU

FJ

[vero]

I still can not get this to work on certain machines. I'm actually trying to connect to one of them right now. Any ideas? Any at all?

[Andreas_Horlach]

The first thing BESR attempts to do is to access the CIFS share on the remote machine. As a test, from the machine with the console, attempt to access the admin share on the remote machine you are attempting to push the agent out to (i.e. \\remotemachine\admin$).  If this test fails, BESR agent pushes will too.

[Andreas_Horlach]

You cannot deploy the Backup Exec System Recovery 2010 Agent to Windows Vista, Windows 7, Windows Server 2008, or Windows Server 2008 R2. Instead, you must manually install the agent to computers that run Windows Vista, Windows 7, Windows Server 2008, or Windows Server 2008 R2. After you have manually installed the agent on the client machine(s), you can then use Backup Exec System Recovery 2010 to remotely manage the Windows Vista, Windows 7, Windows Server 2008, or Windows Server 2008 R2 computer(s).

[VandenBoom]

Are plans in development to fix this "little" issue?  I need the ability to install remotely and haven't been able to thus far.  I have noticed on some that are manually installed, i still can't manage them!  Better yet, some days i can and other days I can't.  Nothing on the desktop/laptop is changing (IP or DNS name), there is nothing wrong with my DC's either.  One good thing has been the ability to backup Virtual Servers - no problems at all!  Desktops and laptops are a whole other issue, mostly the WIN 7 laptops won't backup and can't be managed.

How could something like this be released?  I was sold on the idea of capturing system images and i'm not liking how my rollout is going.  Symantec really needs to fix this issue or I'm jumping ship to another program!!!

[mnitson]

Why is such a long standing issue still unresolved???

Is it time to look for another product?

[FJHack]

Hi,

no, but we found some backup alternatives...:-)

In combination with some Symantec-consultants / engineers we found the bug.

We install BESR via script. We only install the features we need. But there is a "hidden" feature which is essential. This is the "security-feature". This feature is not covered by the SHARED-feature but by the Security-Shortcut-feature, that we do not really need (so we thought). This "shortcut"-feature installes not only the ICON but also the security software behind.

This installation-bug now is known by symantec and I hope it will be fixed soon.

... it is vital to install the Security-Shortcut and if not needed remove the ICON.

CU

[edvSDL]

Obviously it wasn't fixed until today, because I cannot deploy agent nor can I manage manually deployed agents on Win7 x64 computers.

[Andreas_Horlach]

Using the 1:1 management is fully supported. Most of the connection issue we see are due to security software.

If you cannot connect to a remote agent, we need to determine if the remote machine's agent is up and running, and the BESR service is running healthy.  If not, that would explain why you cannot connect.

As a test, next time you cannot connect to a remote machine,  check the status of the Backup Exec System Recovery service on that machine. If it is running, restart it, and attempt to reconnect from the console machine. If you can connect at that point, check to see if you have any missed backups. The goal here is to determine if the issue is at the console machine, the remote machine, or the connection in between.

If you are looking for a more robust solution to remote management, please consider Symantec System Recovery Management Solution (formerly BESR Management Solution). This solution allows you to deploy, manage, report and real-time monitor BESR on all flavors of Windows, as well as Linux, on your network.

[mctaylor82]

We are experiencing the same issue as VandenBoom (we are running Symanted System Recovery 2011). One Win7 laptop has been push installed and the agent is running, however it cannot be managed. Firewall is being managed by Symantec Endpoint Protection. We have other Win7 desktops and laptops which were push installed and connected without ANY issues.

[Andreas_Horlach]

Disable the firewall and re-test. That's the 1st place to start.