Reusing Client Name may Cause Lost Communication with MediaAgent

Changing a computer's client name then changing the client name back to the original may cause lost communication from that client to other computers in the CommCell group.

Symptoms

During an operation that requires secure communication (such as a restore through a firewall), a client computer cannot communicate with its MediaAgent.

Causes

One known cause is a newer security certificate for the client, issued under a different name.

For example, a client named A is renamed B, then subsequently named back to A. When the client was renamed the first time (from A to B), the software generates a new security certificate for that client. When the client is subsequently renamed back to A, if the previous certificate has not been revoked, it will be conflict with the security certificate issued for the client's name as B. This mismatch prevents communication between that client and its MediaAgent.

Resolution

To correct this condition and restore secure communication, revoke all security certificates issued for the client under any names that it is not currently using. In the example cited above, you would revoke the security certificate for client B. The procedure to do this, Revoking a Client Certificate, is provided in Books Online.

Use Process Manager to restart all software services on the MediaAgent.