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FNMS 2020 R1 on-premise --- without integrated Agent on a Beacon

for whatever reasons..... If one is NOT using the component of an integrated  FlexNet-Agent on a Beacon-Server, you will face issues during auto-downloading of the latest packages from Server.

As we are using this Tool on a global scale, so me and my technicians can not understand why the infrastructure isn't working without this component on a Beacon.

 

Pleas let us know, why on a Beacon an Agent is needed to fullfill all neccessary download activities according to prepare the Systems connected too or are beneath a Beacon.

Why is BeaconEngine depending on an integrated Agent if BeaconEngine should be able to handle this preparation for infrastucture by itself?

(2) Replies
ChrisG
By Community Manager Community Manager
Community Manager

When the beacon MSI installer is run, it will generally install all the files required for the normal operation of the beacon. It is possible to run the beacon MSI installer in such a way that some components are excluded from being installed for advanced or specialized scenarios. However that is not something that I would recommend doing under normal conditions, and certainly not unless you can somehow verify those components are not involved in providing any of the functionality you will want to use on the beacon (which is not necessarily an easy question to answer).

What you are referring to in this thread is that the components installed by the agent installer are generally a subset of the components that are installed by the beacon installer. It is possible to run the beacon installer in such a way that it will install other beacon components without these shared components. As you have noted, there are  (unsurprisingly) parts of normal beacon behavior which will not operate if you do that.

Some specific examples of files which provide functionality for both a beacon installation and agent installation are:

  • ndupload.exe and associated files are used both on beacons and agents to upload files to a parent beacon.
  • ndlaunch.exe and associated files are used on both beacons and agents to download files from a parent beacon. These include (amongst other things) files used when the agent/beacon upgrades or downgrades itself).

I can't think of any situation where I have personally found it helpful to do a specialized beacon installation that excludes the components that are also included in agent installs. One hypothetical scenario I can imagine where it might be useful is if you are using a beacon to extract data from some source, but don't need the beacon to be able to upload data or upgrade itself.

(Did my reply solve the question? Click "ACCEPT AS SOLUTION" to help others find answers faster. Liked something? Click "KUDO". Anything expressed here is my own view and not necessarily that of my employer, Flexera.)

Hi ChrisG,

thanks a lot for your reply.

As you said, there might be some special szenarios not to install the Agent-Component during Beacon-Installation.

But even if you do it, there seems to be a lack of functionality on the Beacon afterwards, if it comes to downloading the latest packages from the Server.
For e.g. you're not able to auto-upgrade this Beacon automatically. As you mentioned.

 

We came across this issue because of some performance issues on our Beacons and the initial idea - suggested from Flexera - was to deactivate/uninstall the component on Beacon-side. After it was clear that the component is not responsible for the issue, and to be honest here - we've missed to activate it again, because we didn't expect such kind of things to come, we've experianced these issues afterwards.

 

Nevertheless, what you will get in UI - which is a disturbing fact - is an Error in Beacon overview for this particular beacon, telling, it was unable to download latest packages from Server. You will face this issue, not knowing, that the integrated Agent is a crucial part of the Beacon, and therefore your Infrasturctue Agents are also suffering from this.

I, personally expect that the Beacon itself is able to do all the neccesserray parts, without the Agent component.

 

Furthermore, we noticed that with integration of the Agent, it will scan the Beacon-version and it is getting recognized, but the Version of the Agent is not displayed as an installed Application in UI for that Beacon afterwards.

best regards,
Matthias