Agent Installation FAQ

The following describe typical questions that many users ask.

Linux Agent Installation FAQ

The following table lists frequently asked questions about installing an Agent on Linux.

Question

Answer
Is my Linux OS compatible with Helix Control-M? Product Availability and Compatibility
How much disk space and memory are required to install the Agent on Linux? Agent System Requirements for UNIX/Linux
How do I configure a Linux account that is compatible for an Agent installation? Configuring a User Account on UNIX/Linux
Does the Agent name have any character limitations? The Agent name field can only contain characters A-Z, a-z, 0-9, and special characters - _ : .
How can I verify that the operating system level and patches are compatible with Agent requirements? Verifying Operating System Levels and Patches
Can I install the Agent on Linux with a non-English language locale? Yes you can. However, you need to verify that the Linux OS system commands return English messages. For more information, see Configuring Western European Language Support on Linux.
What Linux shell do I need to install the Agent?

The <user_shell> account must be defined as one of the following:

  • /bin/csh
  • /bin/tcsh
  • /bin/sh
  • /bin/ksh
  • /bin/bash
Can I install several Agents on the same Linux host?

Yes, with the following requirements:

  • Each Agent is installed under a different user account.

  • Each Agent has a unique name.
Can I install two Agents with the same name on different hosts and connect them to the same tenant?

No, the Agent name is unique for the entire tenantClosed A Helix Control-M environment that is segregated, secured, and located on a cloud infrastructure..

How can I configure the Agent to start up automatically?

Configuring the Automatic Startup/Shutdown Procedure for Agent on Solaris

Can I change the packaged default JRE to use my standard organization JRE?

Yes. See Agent Post-installation Procedures.
Can I install the Agent as a root user on Linux?

Yes. You can switch to root user before you install the Agent by using the su command. After the installation completes, the Agent starts up in root mode which enables the Agent to execute all submitted jobs without the Run as UserClosed An OS account name that is used to execute jobs on the host. password. You do not need to run the set_agent_mode utility. The Agent processes run under the user root.

To switch to non-root mode or Sudo mode, use the set_agent_mode utility.

What port does the Agent use to connect to the Server?

The Agent communicates with the Server using https protocol (port 443). If your organization blocks access to the Internet, contact your Network administrator to grant outgoing access to the following:

  • *.controlm.com:443 (https protocol) (outgoing only)

  • *.amazonaws.com:443 (outgoing only)

What is the difference between root mode, non-root mode, and sudo mode?

The Agent works in one of the following modes:

  • Root Mode: Enables the Agent to execute all submitted jobs without the need for the Run as User password.
  • Non-Root Mode: Enables the Agent processes to run with the Agent account permissions. To run a job with a different Run as User, you need to define the Run as User authentication settings, as described in Adding a Run as User.

  • Sudo Mode: Enables the Agent processes to run with the Agent account permissions. To run a job with a different Run as User, you need to define the Run as User in the operation system sudoers file. See Agent modes for more information.

    BMC recommends using non-root mode.
How do I change the default Agent mode? To set the Agent mode, you need to log in as root and run the set_agent_mode script, as described in Running the set_agent_mode Utility.

How can I check that my proxy settings are set up correctly?

Open the ctm/data/agproxy.json file. If the proxy settings are not set correctly, the file displays the following:

{"httpHost":null,"httpPort":null,"httpsHost":null,"httpsPort":null}

Windows Agent Installation FAQ

The following table lists frequently asked questions about installing an Agent on Windows.

Question

Answer
Is my OS compatible with Helix Control-M? Product Availability and Compatibility
How much disk space and memory are required to install the Agent on Windows? Agent System Requirements for Windows
Can I install several Agents on the same Windows host?

Yes, but each Agent must have a unique name.
Does the Agent name have any character limitations? The Agent name field can only contain characters A-Z, a-z, 0-9, and special characters - _ : .

How can I configure the Agent to start up automatically?

The Agent service starts up automatically.
Can I change the packaged default JRE to use my standard organization JRE?

Yes. See Agent Post-installation Procedures.

What port does the Agent use to connect to the Server?

The Agent communicates with the Server using https protocol (port 443). If your organization blocks access to the Internet, contact your Network administrator to grant outgoing access to the following:

  • *.controlm.com:443 (https protocol) (outgoing only)

  • *.amazonaws.com:443 (outgoing only)

How do I run a job with a different user that isn't the Windows account user?

By default, jobs are executed using the Agent service privileges. If you want jobs to execute with the Run as User, you need to set the LOGON_AS_USER Agent system parameter to Y, and your Administrator needs to add the relevant users, as described in Adding a Run as User.
Can the Agent service use a specific account instead of the Local system account? By default, the Windows Agent creates the Agent service using the Local system account. You can change the Agent service account after the installation to a different account, as described in Agent Post-installation Procedures.

How can I check that my proxy settings are set up correctly?

Open the ctm/data/agproxy.json file. If the proxy settings are not set correctly, the file displays the following:

{"httpHost":null,"httpPort":null,"httpsHost":null,"httpsPort":null}