ZCM Agent is unable to start if no value is returned while checking firewall status

When a ZCM agent starts up and attempts to add exceptions to the firewall rules, that on occasion '/sbin/SuSEfirewall2 status' occasionally fails to return any data.

Install ZCM 10.3 and apply update 10.3.1.(No firewall)
Enable the firewall and refresh zcm agent/restart the server.

Result:
 [DEBUG] [06/16/2010 11:29:25.423] [28520] [ZenLinuxDaemon] [12] [] [WebServer]
[] [Quicktask WebServer Port is 7628] [] [] 
 [DEBUG] [06/16/2010 11:29:25.423] [28520] [ZenLinuxDaemon] [12] []
[ZMD_FIREWALL] [] [Attempting to get firewall handler delegate] [] [] 
 [DEBUG] [06/16/2010 11:29:25.423] [28520] [ZenLinuxDaemon] [12] []
[ZMD_FIREWALL] [] [starting process: /etc/init.d/SuSEfirewall2_setup status] []
[] 
 [DEBUG] [06/16/2010 11:29:25.444] [28520] [ZenLinuxDaemon] [12] []
[ZMD_FIREWALL] [] [waiting for process exit...] [] [] 
 [DEBUG] [06/16/2010 11:29:25.444] [28520] [ZenLinuxDaemon] [12] []
[ZMD_FIREWALL] [] [execCmd Success: 
Cmd: /etc/init.d/SuSEfirewall2_setup
Out: Checking the status of SuSEfirewall2 ..running
] [] [] 
 [DEBUG] [06/16/2010 11:29:25.444] [28520] [ZenLinuxDaemon] [12] []
[ZMD_FIREWALL] [] [got status...] [] [] 
 [DEBUG] [06/16/2010 11:29:25.444] [28520] [ZenLinuxDaemon] [12] []
[ZMD_FIREWALL] [] [Using cached contents for: /sbin/SuSEfirewall2 status] [] [] 
 [DEBUG] [06/16/2010 11:29:25.444] [28520] [ZenLinuxDaemon] [12] []
[ZMD_FIREWALL] [] [got status...] [] [] 
 [DEBUG] [06/16/2010 11:29:25.445] [28520] [ZenLinuxDaemon] [12] [] [WebServer]
[] [Unexpected exception in WebServer.InitWebServer(False)
Type: System.ArgumentOutOfRangeException
Message: Cannot be negative.
Parameter name: startIndex
Stack Trace:
      at System.String.Substring (Int32 startIndex, Int32 length) (0x00000) 
      at ZENPreAgent.FirewallHandler_sf2.getFirewallState () (0x00000) 
      at ZENPreAgent.FirewallHandler_sf2._isFirewallEnabled () (0x00000) 
      at ZENPreAgent.FirewallHandler.isFirewallEnabled () (0x00000) 
      at ZENPreAgent.FirewallHandler.openFirewallPort (Int32 port, Boolean
openTCP, Boolean openUDP) (0x00000) 
      at ZENPreAgent.FirewallHandler.openFirewallPort (Int32 port) (0x00000) 
      at Novell.Zenworks.Zmd.Refresh.WebServer.InitWebServer (Boolean
initSettings) (0x00000) 

] [] [] 
 [ERROR] [06/16/2010 11:29:25.445] [28520] [ZenLinuxDaemon] [12] [] [ZMD]
[ZMD.CouldNotBindToQuickTaskPort] [The agent failed to bind to the quick task
port.  The ZENworks server will be unable to contact the agent.] [] [] 

ZCC shows Unable to connect through IP Address or Host Name

This is fixed in version 10.3.1 - see KB 7006265 "ZENworks Configuration Management 10.3.1 - update information and list of fixes" which can be found at https://www.novell.com/support

The workaround for this issue is to disable the firewall, which is unacceptable in some situations.