Environment
Novell ZENworks Patch Management 6.3 - ZPM6.3
Novell ZENworks Patch Management 6.4 - ZPM6.4
Situation
Replication Services (downloading patches: Options, Subscription Service, Subscription Service History) was working.
A ZENworks update was recently applied, around the time the downloading of patches stopped working.
Start 'Update Now', or 'Reset' & 'Update Now'. The 'Subscription Service History' reports back Successful = True.
Novell Support checks Serial Number status and the record on Subscription server doesn't update the date of last contact (checked by Novell Technical Support).
The Plus server doesn't get updates.
The Plus server has warnings in the Application Event viewer and errors in the Patchlink Event viewer. They are not helpful identifying the cause of the problem.
Connectivity (ping or telnet) to novell.patchlinksecure.net may fail.
Connectivity to all other tested websites works successfully.
Resolution
Uninstall and reinstall Patchlink Replication Services (see KB 7000462 'Service "ZENworks Distribution Service" is not present after applying 6.4 SP1') if they are mysteriously 'hung' (service cannot be stopped / restarted):
1. Uninstall: Add / Remove Programs, ReplicationServices, Change, Remove.
2. Reinstall: \...\ZENworks Patch Management Server\RS\ReplicationServices.msi .
Contact Novell Technical Support if the false True symptom occurs. Changing the server's name may lead to this symptom. Please provide the ZENworks Patch Management serial number so the status of last contact on the Subscription server can be reviewed.