ZCM agent refresh hangs on registration or software usage monitoring part

The ZCM Agent is installed on a Dell Latitude 10 tablet device

After triggering the agent refresh up to 10 times in a row, the agent refresh hangs and does not conclude.

Last message related to the agent refresh in zmd-messages.log are:
1.
"...
[DEBUG] [03/25/2013 13:32:31.024] [1740] [ZenworksWindowsService] [39] [] [RegistrationManager] [] [DNS for address: <device IP address> is <device DNS name>] [] []
[DEBUG] [03/25/2013 13:32:31.024] [1740] [ZenworksWindowsService] [39] [] [InventoryManager] [] [handler called to provide registration info] [] []
[DEBUG] [03/25/2013 13:32:31.024] [1740] [ZenworksWindowsService] [39] [] [ZenCache] [] [(Thread 39) GetObject(ZEN_DeviceSerialNumber, UserContext{_LocalId=none; _RemoteId=(Public)}) called] [] []
[DEBUG] [03/25/2013 13:32:31.040] [1740] [ZenworksWindowsService] [39] [] [ZenCache] [] [Process ZenworksWindowsService acquired the access mutex for object cache ] [] []
[DEBUG] [03/25/2013 13:32:31.040] [1740] [ZenworksWindowsService] [39] [] [ZenCache] [] [Released the access mutex for object cache] [] []
[DEBUG] [03/25/2013 13:32:31.040] [1740] [ZenworksWindowsService] [39] [] [ZenCache] [] [(Thread 39) GetObject returning C:\Program Files\Novell\ZENworks\cache\zmd\ZenCache\0b5b4362-d2db-44b5-9258-53f896146021 in 14 ms] [] []
[DEBUG] [03/25/2013 13:33:02.158] [1740] [ZenworksWindowsService] [39] [] [ZenCache] [] [(Thread 39) GetObject(ZEN_DeviceSerialNumber, UserContext{_LocalId=none; _RemoteId=(Public)}) called] [] []
[DEBUG] [03/25/2013 13:33:02.158] [1740] [ZenworksWindowsService] [39] [] [ZenCache] [] [Process ZenworksWindowsService acquired the access mutex for object cache ] [] []
[DEBUG] [03/25/2013 13:33:02.173] [1740] [ZenworksWindowsService] [39] [] [ZenCache] [] [Released the access mutex for object cache] [] []
[DEBUG] [03/25/2013 13:33:02.173] [1740] [ZenworksWindowsService] [39] [] [ZenCache] [] [(Thread 39) GetObject returning C:\Program Files\Novell\ZENworks\cache\zmd\ZenCache\0b5b4362-d2db-44b5-9258-53f896146021 in 21 ms] [] []
..."

 or

2.
"...
[DEBUG] [04/23/2013 12:05:59.959] [1592] [ZenworksWindowsService] [43] [] [RefreshMgr] [] [(Thread=43; SessionId=999; RefreshType=GeneralRefresh) Calling Refresh Handler: AssetManagement] [] []
[DEBUG] [04/23/2013 12:05:59.959] [1592] [ZenworksWindowsService] [43] [] [AssetManagement] [] [refreshHander, got GeneralRefresh Refresh for session=999] [] []
[DEBUG] [04/23/2013 12:05:59.959] [1592] [ZenworksWindowsService] [43] [] [AssetManagement] [] [refreshHandler for GeneralRefresh] [] []
[DEBUG] [04/23/2013 12:05:59.959] [1592] [ZenworksWindowsService] [43] [] [AssetManagement] [] [refreshing Usage Setting] [] []
[DEBUG] [04/23/2013 12:05:59.975] [1592] [ZenworksWindowsService] [43] [] [AssetManagement] [] [setting for RunUsageMonitor: true] [] []
[DEBUG] [04/23/2013 12:05:59.975] [1592] [ZenworksWindowsService] [43] [] [AssetManagement] [] [RunUmx set via Convert: True] [] []
[DEBUG] [04/23/2013 12:05:59.975] [1592] [ZenworksWindowsService] [43] [] [AssetManagement] [] [refreshing Web Applications] [] []
[DEBUG] [04/23/2013 12:05:59.975] [1592] [ZenworksWindowsService] [43] [] [AssetManagement] [] [Start/Stop Usage Monitor setting: RunUsageMonitor: True] [] []
..."

This is fixed in version 11.2.4 - see KB 7012027 "ZENworks Configuration Management 11.2.4 - update information and list of fixes" which can be found at https://support.microfocus.com/kb/doc.php?id=7012027

Workaround: if it is not possible to upgrade to ZCM11.2.4 at this time, in the interim, Novell has made a Patch available for testing, as part of a Monthly patch update: it can be obtained at https://download.novell.com/Download?buildid=s5zcEae9xcI~ as "ZCM 11.2.3a Monthly Update 1 - see TID 7012025". This update should only be applied if the symptoms above are being experienced, and are causing problems.

Please report any problems encountered when using this Patch, by using the feedback link on this TID.

In both cases seen in the ZCM agent log file, the Windows API called to launch (or stop) an executable does not conclude. In the first case colw32.exe is unintended launched twice, which can end in a race condition and the currently launched colw32.exe instance gets into a suspended instead of running process state. In the 2nd case the tsusage32.exe should get launched (or stopped in case software usage tracking is set to disabled) but the process start/stop command does not return.

Apparently this is a quite rare hit issue. This issue cannot be replicated at Novell even with the specific table device hardware available for testing.

This is also related to TID 7012379. This TID describes an issue where colw32 fails to collect the device serial number. As long as the serial number is not in ZCM agent cache or conninfo.dat, the agent will launch colw32 on each agent refresh. This is actually done to gather the device serial number since it is integral information required for device registration and reconciliation process. Ideally the serial number is collected on the very first agent registration approach and colw32 will no further get launch during device registration refresh. So this part can no further lead to an agent refresh hang.