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Observed backup behavior. The backup job does not progress and remains in a waiting state. Backup status shows WAITING_CLIENT and eventually times out with zero progress bytes. The proxy is reported as localhost instead of its hostname. A log entry appears in /usr/local/avamarclient/var/avagent.log indicating a registration failure. avagent Error <6210>: Unable to register 'localhost' with MCS at <FQDN of Avamar Utility Node>:28001
Incorrect Proxy Hostname Configuration The Avamar backup fails because the proxy server registers itself as localhost instead of its DNS name. This misconfiguration prevents the Management Console Server (MCS) from recognizing the proxy, resulting in the error: avagent Error <6210>: Unable to register 'localhost' with MCS at :28001
Fixing "WAITING_CLIENT" Backup Failures Caused by Proxy Hostname Mis‑configuration Pre‑check - Verify Proxy Connectivity. Before modifying any files, confirm that the proxy can be reached from the Avamar Utility Node. Open a command prompt on the Utility Node and ping the proxy IP address. If the ping fails, ensure that the proxy is listed in DNS and that network routes allow communication. Step‑by‑Step Resolution Reboot the proxy and relogin. If the issue persists after a simple reboot, go to the steps below. Identify the correct proxy hostname. # Replace with the actual proxy IP address nslookup NOTE: The fully qualified domain name (FQDN) is returned - this is the name that must appear in the configuration files. Log in to the proxy using SSH # Use PuTTY or another SSH client ssh admin@ # When prompted, enter the default password: avam@r su - # You are now root Update the VAMI hostname file. cd /opt/vmware/share/vami/ vi vami_set_hostname Locate the line: HOSTNAME="localhost.localdom" Replace localhost.localdom with the proxy name obtained from the nslookup command (as in, proxy01.example.com ). Save the file and exit the editor. Reboot the proxy to apply the change. reboot Confirm that the hostname is reflected correctly. cat /etc/HOSTNAME cat /etc/hosts If the short hostname is missing or incorrect, edit the files: vi /etc/HOSTNAME vi /etc/hosts Add the short name (for example, proxy01 ) and ensure the FQDN maps to the proxy IP. Refresh DNS registration using vCenter. In the vCenter console, power off the proxy VM, wait a few seconds, then power it on. This forces the DHCP server to update the DNS entry used by the Utility Node. Validate proxy visibility in Avamar. From the Avamar UI: Go to the Backup and Restore tab. Select the proxy from the left panel. Confirm that the Linux file system is browsable and can view the standard directories (such as, /etc , /var , /opt ). CAUTION: Editing vami_set_hostname , /etc/HOSTNAME , or /etc/hosts incorrectly can prevent the proxy from registering with the Avamar server. Always back up each file before modification WARNING: An inaccurate hostname may cause all backups to remain in WAITING_CLIENT state, leading to data‑protection gaps. Verify each change carefully. NOTE: If after completing these steps the backup still fails, collect the latest /usr/local/avamarclient/var/avagent.log entries and open a Dell Support case.
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