Posts made by fry_p

@Joe-Schmitt No luck, still not communicating, last entry still 10/13/16. Do I need to restart the service?

Another known problem PC is reporting RC-13 as the server version and seems to have not checked in since 10/13/16.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------
---------------------------------ClientUpdater--------------------------------
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 10/13/2016 9:26 AM Client-Info Client Version: 0.11.5
 10/13/2016 9:26 AM Client-Info Client OS:      Windows
 10/13/2016 9:26 AM Client-Info Server Version: 1.3.0-RC-13
 10/13/2016 9:26 AM Middleware::Response Success
------------------------------------------------------------------------------


------------------------------------------------------------------------------
----------------------------------TaskReboot----------------------------------
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 10/13/2016 9:26 AM Client-Info Client Version: 0.11.5
 10/13/2016 9:26 AM Client-Info Client OS:      Windows
 10/13/2016 9:26 AM Client-Info Server Version: 1.3.0-RC-13
 10/13/2016 9:26 AM Middleware::Response ERROR: Unable to get subsection
 10/13/2016 9:26 AM Middleware::Response ERROR: Object reference not set to an instance of an object.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------
--------------------------------HostnameChanger-------------------------------
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 10/13/2016 9:26 AM Client-Info Client Version: 0.11.5
 10/13/2016 9:26 AM Client-Info Client OS:      Windows
 10/13/2016 9:26 AM Client-Info Server Version: 1.3.0-RC-13
 10/13/2016 9:26 AM Middleware::Response ERROR: Unable to get subsection
 10/13/2016 9:26 AM Middleware::Response ERROR: Object reference not set to an instance of an object.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------
---------------------------------SnapinClient---------------------------------
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 10/13/2016 9:26 AM Client-Info Client Version: 0.11.5
 10/13/2016 9:26 AM Client-Info Client OS:      Windows
 10/13/2016 9:26 AM Client-Info Server Version: 1.3.0-RC-13
 10/13/2016 9:26 AM Middleware::Response ERROR: Unable to get subsection
 10/13/2016 9:26 AM Middleware::Response ERROR: Object reference not set to an instance of an object.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------
--------------------------------PrinterManager--------------------------------
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 10/13/2016 9:26 AM Client-Info Client Version: 0.11.5
 10/13/2016 9:26 AM Client-Info Client OS:      Windows
 10/13/2016 9:26 AM Client-Info Server Version: 1.3.0-RC-13
 10/13/2016 9:26 AM Middleware::Response ERROR: Unable to get subsection
 10/13/2016 9:26 AM Middleware::Response ERROR: Object reference not set to an instance of an object.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------
--------------------------------PowerManagement-------------------------------
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 10/13/2016 9:26 AM Client-Info Client Version: 0.11.5
 10/13/2016 9:26 AM Client-Info Client OS:      Windows
 10/13/2016 9:26 AM Client-Info Server Version: 1.3.0-RC-13
 10/13/2016 9:26 AM Middleware::Response ERROR: Unable to get subsection
 10/13/2016 9:26 AM Middleware::Response ERROR: Object reference not set to an instance of an object.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------
----------------------------------UserTracker---------------------------------
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 10/13/2016 9:26 AM Client-Info Client Version: 0.11.5
 10/13/2016 9:26 AM Client-Info Client OS:      Windows
 10/13/2016 9:26 AM Client-Info Server Version: 1.3.0-RC-13
 10/13/2016 9:26 AM Middleware::Response ERROR: Unable to get subsection
 10/13/2016 9:26 AM Middleware::Response ERROR: Object reference not set to an instance of an object.
 10/13/2016 9:26 AM Middleware::Communication URL: http://10.1.106.169/fog/management/index.php?sub=requestClientInfo&configure&newService&json
 10/13/2016 9:26 AM Middleware::Response Success
 10/13/2016 9:26 AM Service ERROR: Invalid promptTime, using default
 10/13/2016 9:26 AM Service Sleeping for 70 seconds

That was the last entry in the client log.

Server

• FOG Version: RC-18
• OS: UBUNTU 14.04

Client

• Service Version: 0.11.5
• OS: Windows 7 Pro x64

Description

I should have mentioned this a while back as I have seen it a few times in the past. First thing that happens is some sort of odd behavior of the client.

I have seen two variations of this:

Most common is that the client will think it is communicating with the server, but will not “listen” to anything the server says. For example, I tell a snapin to deploy to a lab. 95% of the lab does so. The other few just sit. Mind you, they all were imaged with the same image at the same time. Re-installing the FOG client resolves this. I can try to provide logs for this, but I can tell you the pattern. Everything looks normal except for one glaring anomaly: The client is reporting the server as an older RC than the current one that is running. For example, the oddly behaving client reports RC-14 when we were on RC-17.

The other newer issue is that the client may be rebooting PC’s randomly. It has been difficult to track down what is causing these reboots, but we may have caught one “in the act” on Friday. Please see the excerpt of the client log below:

------------------------------------------------------------------------------
--------------------------------HostnameChanger-------------------------------
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 10/28/2016 2:06 PM Client-Info Client Version: 0.11.5
 10/28/2016 2:06 PM Client-Info Client OS:      Windows
 10/28/2016 2:06 PM Client-Info Server Version: 1.3.0-RC-14
 10/28/2016 2:06 PM Middleware::Response Success
 10/28/2016 2:06 PM HostnameChanger Checking Hostname
 10/28/2016 2:06 PM HostnameChanger Hostname is correct
 10/28/2016 2:06 PM HostnameChanger Attempting to join domain
 10/28/2016 2:06 PM HostnameChanger Success, code =  0
 10/28/2016 2:06 PM Power Creating shutdown request
 10/28/2016 2:06 PM Power Parameters: /r /c "Host joined to Active Directory, restart required" /t 0
 10/28/2016 2:06 PM Bus {
  "self": true,
  "channel": "Power",
  "data": "{\r\n  \"action\": \"shuttingdown\"\r\n}"
}
 10/28/2016 2:06 PM Bus Emmiting message on channel: Power
------------------------------------------------------------------------------

 10/28/2016 2:07 PM Main Overriding exception handling
 10/28/2016 2:07 PM Main Bootstrapping Zazzles
 10/28/2016 2:07 PM Controller Initialize
 10/28/2016 2:07 PM Zazzles Creating main thread
 10/28/2016 2:07 PM Zazzles Service construction complete
 10/28/2016 2:07 PM Controller Start

 10/28/2016 2:07 PM Service Starting service
 10/28/2016 2:07 PM Bus Became bus server
 10/28/2016 2:07 PM Bus {
  "self": true,
  "channel": "Status",
  "data": "{\r\n  \"action\": \"load\"\r\n}"
}
 10/28/2016 2:07 PM Bus Emmiting message on channel: Status
 10/28/2016 2:07 PM Service Invoking early JIT compilation on needed binaries

Mind you, this is not reporting the proper RC version. I find it very strange that it would randomly need to re-join the domain being that no changes were made in AD at the time of this occurrence. Please see below for Windows logs on the client at that exact moment

So to wrap things up, I am now getting random reboots such as this all around my district. FOG seems to think that these PC’s need to be joined, but evidence points to this being a false positive due to it being on the domain a minute earlier and no actions being taken by us to disjoin these PC’s from the domain. I just updated to RC-18 on Saturday, so if this was already addressed, I apologize. As always, if you need logs, I can provide them. The current work-around is disabling task-reboot and hostname changer globally.

Thanks!
Paul

@Wayne-Workman said in Windows FOG storage node and multicasting mess:

If it’s configured correctly, it should be immediate. Did you enable the graph for the storage node? Did you assign the storage node to the correct storage group and enable it? When installing the storage node, did you input the correct fogstorage password?

God, I’m striking out left and right. I changed the settings in /opt/fog/.fogsettings, but didn’t re-install, expecting the changes to be instant. What a dope I am…

Thanks for the info on changing the IP of the node. That’s not too bad and you’re right, having the latest of everything every time would be good.

@george1421 I appreciate your help though. I’ll give the GUI time to catch up, or if it still doesn’t work, make another post. Thanks everyone!

@george1421 Again, just as you posted this, I found it in the wiki. I can now access the database from the node, I hope the graph in the GUI is soon to follow…

@george1421 I just found that deep in the forums as you posted this. I had no idea this was a thing, but it is really cool! So the last piece is my database connection. I think it may be a permissions thing. I can log into my FOG database locally on the master server with a blank password. However, on the node, I unable to connect with the same credentials. I already commented out the “Bind-Address = 127.0.0.1” in /etc/mysql/my.conf

It’s probably a stupid thing but I’m stumped.

So I figured out the replication issue (not all of my passwords matched). The database issue is still there (can’t see graph or any info on it). My next question is how the node gets integrated into the system. How does a PC know to pull from that node instead of the Main Server? I am failing to understand that.

So if I have a node in a building and my main fog server at the main site, the pc looks at the main server for “instructions” because DHCP tells it to look at it during netboot. I don’t see anywhere I can specify where it should pull from. It is quite possible this intelligence built in and I’m just an idiot.

@Wayne-Workman Oh ok. Dang. Going back to the node, what shall I do to remedy the replication issue? I currently do not have FOGUpdateIP installed anyway. The weird thing is that Snapins are replicating fine… but no images

EDIT: New error

[10-20-16 10:00:06 am] * Type: 2, File: /var/www/html/fog/lib/fog/fogftp.class.php, Line: 462, Message: ftp_login(): Login incorrect., Host: 10.1.34.84, Username: fog

I think it goes back to not knowing which credentials to enter

@Wayne-Workman I am now trying to replicate and I am unable to see anything on my newly set up node. When I go to look at the graph and click on it, it displays “A valid database connection could not be made”. I made sure to put in the proper sql credentials. I tried a fresh install but I think the problem is the management password in the node section of the GUI. I don’t know what that is supposed to be.

@george1421 said in Windows FOG storage node and multicasting mess:

In a typical FOG image deployment the FOG server just moves files, there are no heavy cpu requirements for the FOG server. I was going to recommend a Intel NUC i3 or i5 for this setup. That coupled with a 250GB SSD would make a very nice deployment server.

Here is the compromise my colleagues have come up with. We will put it to the test with a 990. If we see big benefits, we will do as @george1421 does and have a mobile node when we have mass imaging to do. They are not keen on hyper-v still and we don’t do enough mass deployment to justify having a machine in each building (they would just sit there most of the time). We just don’t do that enough to invest time and complicate the process I am being told.

I would now like to know @george1421 's method to changing the IP easily on the node for portability. I am ignorant to how nodes work and how hard it is to change the IP, so I am open to suggestions. Thanks guys!

@Wayne-Workman I was mistaken, I know Microsoft is usually a stickler for licensing, so I assumed the worst. That takes out one of the arguments I had. The other I am reconsidering due to the snapshot feature I didn’t think of. The only concern is space now. Each server is also the file server for each building. Can I selectively choose which images get replicated to other nodes? We have a vital few that would be necessary everywhere, but many superfluous specialized images not needed anywhere else. If you can answer that, I have a convincing case for my colleagues, plus I’d be sold on it.

@Wayne-Workman I’m not so excited spinning up Hyper-V on each server 1 - due to licensing and 2- having 10+ separate virtual environments. It didn’t fly with my colleagues. They do like the idea of independent multicasting from each node. Would a Optiplex 990 be suitable for this (with a girthy hdd of course)?

@george1421 My apologies, I thought the write up was exceptional, the concept, not so cut and dry! Sorry!

I could have up to approximately 10 sites. I have a surplus of Optiplex 990’s and 750 GB HDD’s I could throw Ubuntu on. Would that be acceptable? My question is what is best practice? Having nodes at each site?

Hi All,
Very long post coming up so bear with me. I have a…unique situation. I am just delving into multicasting since we need to do large deployments in currently and in the near future, so I apologize for any stupid questions.

Scenario
After talking to our network consultant, we have been deemed unable to multicast with only the IP based IOS on our Cisco equipment. Our router can only route multicast traffic internally, it can not make any “hops” to other school buildings. I was not involved in this conversation because I am still not super familiar with the network setup in my district. I can get more details from my colleague if needed, but that’s not what I want to dwell on here.

Theory
I’ve always heard about having multiple storage nodes at different locations and have wondered why that is done. I can see the need for those now. My district has a single fog server/storage node. If I had a storage node at each building, my theory is that multicasting could work at the different buildings? You can stop me here if I’m wrong.

Complications
Here’s the kicker: I only have Windows Server 2012 servers at each building. I did some searching and found old threads and wiki pages about using a Windows storage node, but it looks jenky at best. I would like to know definitively if I can set up nodes at each building on the Windows Servers without breaking anything. If not, I’ll have to unicast because putting in additional linux based machines at each building is not feasible at the moment. We just don’t have room

Any alternatives, advice and experiences are welcome.

Thanks!
Paul

@Wayne-Workman Nice! I haven’t had to do a batch of those 4’s in a minute, but more are coming soon. My boss was perplexed at how seemingly complicated it was to get the Pro 4 to netboot/image (USB Hub was the only way to do it). Thanks for the good news!

@Tom-Elliott Glad to hear it. I wish I had a minute to get you that requested info, but you know how it goes…

@andyroo54 I am having the same issue with RC-11. More of an annoyance right now with the extra step of deploying the image.

@Wayne-Workman I did not, but I was messing around manually running with arguments and /quiet or anything like that still prompted for a license agreement. The msi didn’t prompt with that argument, but just hung. I resorted to deploying through group policy for now. I think it ended up being a function of the way the installer was made. Regardless, I have used snapins lately for simpler stuff and it works great! Flash player and adobe reader work flawlessly.

@Tom-Elliott I will try RC-10. I am calling the /quiet argument which I thought would make it silent. I don’t know much about this stuff, so is there another argument I need to find?