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FortiKoala
Staff
FortiKoala
Staff
September 28, 2018

Technical Tip: Persistent Agent Stops Communicating If Downgraded to Older 3.x Version

  • September 28, 2018
  • 0 replies
  • 935 views

Description

 
This article describes that Persistent Agent Stops Communicating If Downgraded to version older than v3. x.
 
Scope
 
FortiNAC v3.x.


Solution

 

 

Issue: 

Persistent Agent Stops Communicating If Downgraded to an Older 3. x Version

 

The following symptoms are seen:

On Network Sentry:

  • The 'Logged on User' field is blank. 
  • Unable to send a message or scan.
  • Hosts View displays the correct Agent version.

On the PC:

  • Persistent Agent icon is present in the tray.
  • Bradford Persistent Agent service is not listed under Services.
  • Agent version shows an older 3. x version in the installed programs list.
     

These symptoms can occur if the agent was upgraded, and then downgraded within the 3. x range. The following anomaly can be found in the Network Sentry Agent Version 3.5 Release notes:

'Anomaly: Downgrading the 3.x Persistent Agent to an older version of the 3.x Previous Agent fails. The newly installed (older) agent will not start.

Resolution: Downgrading the 3.x Persistent Agent on Windows to version 2.2 of the Persistent Agent does not have this issue, nor does Upgrading the 3.x Persistent Agent to a newer version. Using the "Repair" feature of Windows often corrects the issue.'

 

The bndaemon.log will reflect the history of the versions the agent was running. 

Example 1 shows the agent was updated from 3.3.0.56 to 3.5.0.42 on July 29. The agent ran until Aug 06 12:46:51 2015 (presumably when the older 3.3 agent was re-pushed)...

 

---- Agent 3.3.0.56 Log Starting: Wed Jul 29 11:39:19 2015
---- Agent 3.5.0.42 Log Starting: Wed Jul 29 13:30:27 2015
---- Agent 3.5.0.42 Log Starting: Thu Aug 06 11:36:53 2015
---- Log ending: Thu Aug 06 12:46:51 2015

 

Instructions to obtain the Persistent Agent logs can be found in Solution 1717 'How to Enable Persistent Agent Debug Logging in Windows'.

 

Solution:

If a software push is used to distribute the agent initially, use it to update the agents to a newer version as well, and disable the Global Update feature in Network Sentry Admin UI.

 

To disable the Global Update feature:

  1. Navigate to System -> Settings -> Persistent Agent Update.
  2. Uncheck the boxes next to 'Update Windows Agents to Version' and 'Mac OSX Agents to Version'

 

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