Purpose

This document provides information about the Console Alias Editor within Shavlik Protect.

Description

When an agent checks in with the Shavlik Protect console it must verify that the machine it contacted is a trusted machine. It does this using the trusted names and IP addresses contained in the certificate that is exchanged between the agent and the console. If you assign the console machine to a new domain or give it a new common name or IP address, any existing agents that recognize the console by its old name or address will no longer trust the console machine. To get around this issue you simply identify the old console names or addresses as trusted aliases. This is done using the Console Alias Editor tool.

The most common time to use this tool will be during an upgrade from an earlier version of Shavlik Protect.

Accidentally changing or deleting existing entries on the Console Alias Editor dialog may cause problems when your agents attempt to contact the console. Only qualified system administrators should modify existing names or IP addresses.

Assigning Aliases to the Console

1.Select Tools > Console alias editor.

The Console Alias Editor dialog is displayed. It will contain the names and IP addresses currently used to identify the console machine.

2.Type the name or IP address that you want to use as an alias for the console machine.

You can specify IP addresses using either an IPv4 or IPv6 format.

3.Click Update.

The Update dialog is displayed.

In order to update the console aliases the console service must be restarted and Shavlik Protect must be closed and then manually restarted.

The agents will not recognize a new alias until after they check-in with the restarted console. The check-in must be initiated by an agent either manually using the agent client program or via a scheduled check-in; a check-in command issued from the console to an agent will not update the console certificate. This includes when a console is migrated to a new console and the old console still has agents assigned to it. The agents will not check in with the new console unless the old console's service is turned off and a agent check in is performed from the agent. Another way to achieve the same effect is to uninstall the agents from the old console and then install the agents with the same policies from the new console.

Additional Information

The menu option for Tools > Console Alias Editor is not available to users assigned the Report Only role within Protect's Role Based Administration.

The console alias editor is not intended to be a mechanism of providing specific methods for the agent to contact the console for check-in or registration. As a requirement, the agent will still need to be able to resolve the console machine. (Example: If you have agents in a domain that is not trusted and cannot resolve the Protect console system, those agents will not specifically attempt using an IP address listed in the console alias editor. However, you could manually install the agent as a workaround.)

Affected Product(s)

Shavlik Protect 9.x