Test Frontend and Backend Server Connections

When you have made sure that the agent has the correct information about the Frontend server (see Agent Can’t Connect), verify the agent’s connection to the PerformanceGuard Frontend server and the onward connection to the Backend server.

Before you start

The tests use the Windows Telnet Client. If the telnet command isn’t found, turn on the Telnet Client Windows feature, or ask your Windows administrator to do it. The Telnet Client only connects out; it doesn’t open any ports on the computer.

Telnet to the Frontend server

1. On the computer that has the agent installed, select Start, type cmd and press ENTER to open a command prompt.

2. At the command prompt, type the following and then press ENTER:

   telnet <IP address of frontend server> 4001

   4001 is the default port on which the Frontend server listens for data from agents. If your organization uses a different port number, use that port number.

3. Type p within a few seconds after the screen clears, and before the connection is closed. You should now see the name and version number of the PerformanceGuard Frontend server, for example:

   Performance Guard Frontend Server <version> - Ping reply

This proves that the Frontend server is able to receive data from the agent.

• If you don’t see the version number, there is a problem with the Frontend server connection. See Troubleshoot the Frontend server connection.
• If you see the version number, and the command prompt also says “Connection to host lost”, that’s expected. The telnet session ends after you get the reply.

Troubleshoot the Frontend server connection

This is only required if you had problems connecting to the Frontend server from the computer that has the agent installed.

Check if a network problem or firewall prevents the computer that has the agent installed from connecting to the Frontend server. You do this by repeating the telnet test on the computer that runs the Frontend server:

1. On the computer that runs the Frontend server, open a command prompt.

2. Type the following and press ENTER:

   telnet localhost 4001

3. Type p within a few seconds after the screen clears. You should now see the name and version number of the PerformanceGuard Frontend server.

This proves that the Frontend server is running.

• If you can connect to the Frontend server locally, but not from the computer that runs the agent, a firewall is very likely blocking port 4001 somewhere between the agent and the Frontend server.
• If you can’t connect to the Frontend server locally, do the following on the computer that runs the Frontend server:
  • Select Start, type services.msc and press ENTER. Then verify that the PerformanceGuard Frontend Server service is started.
  • Open [PerformanceGuard installation folder]\Settings.ini and check the AGENT_PORT value in the [Frontend] section. This is the port on which the Frontend server listens for agents. If another port number is used, try the telnet tests with that port number. If the tests are successful, the agent should use that port number.
  • Check the Frontend server log file pgfrontend.log in [PerformanceGuard installation folder]\collector\logs\. Search for error messages. Also search for the agent ID of the agent that has the problem. You may find a specific error message related to that agent. See Diagnose Frontend Server Log.

Caution

Settings.ini also contains the database connection settings for the servers. Don’t share the file, and only change the values described on this page.

Telnet to the Backend server

Now connect to the PerformanceGuard Backend server from the computer that runs the Frontend server:

1. Open a command prompt.

2. Type the following and press ENTER:

   telnet <IP address of backend server> 4008

   4008 is the default port on which the Backend server listens for data from Frontend servers.

3. Type p within a few seconds after the screen clears, and before the connection is closed. You should now see the name and version number of the PerformanceGuard Backend server, for example:

   Performance Guard Backend Server <version> - Ping reply

This proves that it’s possible to communicate with the Backend server.

If you can’t connect to the Backend server, do the following on the computer that runs the Backend server:

• Select Start, type services.msc and press ENTER. Then verify that the PerformanceGuard Backend Server service is started.
• Open [PerformanceGuard installation folder]\Settings.ini and check the BACKEND_PORT value in the [Backend] section. If another port number is used, try the telnet test with that port number. If the test is successful, the Frontend server must use that port number: on the computer that runs the Frontend server, check that BACKEND_PORT in the [Frontend] section of Settings.ini has the same value, and that BACKEND_HOSTNAME points to the Backend server. Restart the PerformanceGuard Frontend Server service after a change.
• Open the Backend server log file pgbackend.log in [PerformanceGuard installation folder]\notification\logs\ and search for error messages.