Discussion:
Agent Heartbeat Port Requirements
(too old to reply)
IT Guy
2008-06-24 17:27:00 UTC
Permalink
Back in the MOM days the agent used a UDP datagram to send heartbeat
information to the MOM console. However, I haven't seen any definitive
information on how SCOM sends heartbeat information. Does it use UDP 5723, or
bundle it with normal TCP communications on port 5723?

UDP 5723 isn't mentioned in any Technet documents that I could find, but
another web site did mention it. The various firewall rule tables I've seen
don't break out TCP vs UDP requirements.

Thanks!
Graham Davies
2008-06-24 19:35:16 UTC
Permalink
The relevant ports are listed here -
http://technet.microsoft.com/en-gb/library/cc540431(TechNet.10).aspx (TCP)

Cheers

Graham
Post by IT Guy
Back in the MOM days the agent used a UDP datagram to send heartbeat
information to the MOM console. However, I haven't seen any definitive
information on how SCOM sends heartbeat information. Does it use UDP 5723, or
bundle it with normal TCP communications on port 5723?
UDP 5723 isn't mentioned in any Technet documents that I could find, but
another web site did mention it. The various firewall rule tables I've seen
don't break out TCP vs UDP requirements.
Thanks!
IT Guy
2008-06-24 19:46:00 UTC
Permalink
Right, but the article doesn't call out TCP or UDP. Microsoft has both the
TCP and UPD ports registered with IANA for 5723. I know that doesn't mean
they use both of them though. Given two generations of MOM used UDP and using
UDP for heartbeats makes sense (less network overhead) I would like 'hard'
documentation that states it one way or the other.

This site references 5723 for heartbeats:
http://opsmgr2007.wikidot.com/system:agents
Post by Graham Davies
The relevant ports are listed here -
http://technet.microsoft.com/en-gb/library/cc540431(TechNet.10).aspx (TCP)
Cheers
Graham
Post by IT Guy
Back in the MOM days the agent used a UDP datagram to send heartbeat
information to the MOM console. However, I haven't seen any definitive
information on how SCOM sends heartbeat information. Does it use UDP 5723, or
bundle it with normal TCP communications on port 5723?
UDP 5723 isn't mentioned in any Technet documents that I could find, but
another web site did mention it. The various firewall rule tables I've seen
don't break out TCP vs UDP requirements.
Thanks!
Graham Davies
2008-06-24 20:30:47 UTC
Permalink
When I have installed across firewalls I've only ever asked for TCP to be
opened and not had an issue (though it may be that whoever configured the
firewall also opened it for UDP traffic as well). MOM 2000 and MOM 2005 were
essentially NetIQ products at heart and in general how things worked in
those versions is a poor guide to how things work in Operations Manager 2007
(as I'm sure you've already found).

The deployment guide does state TCP:

"You need to make sure that network ports are opened for communication
between the agents and the management server, between the Operations Console
and the management server, and between the Web Console and the management
server. All other inter-service communication occurs on the management
server itself. The ports are as follows:
 Operations Console to Root management server: TCP 5724
 Operations Console to Reporting Server: TCP 80
 Web Console to Web Console server: TCP 51908, 443
 Agent to Root Management Server: TCP 5723
 ACS forwarder to ACS collector: TCP 51909
 Agentless management: occurs over remote procedure call "

Cheers

Graham
Post by IT Guy
Right, but the article doesn't call out TCP or UDP. Microsoft has both the
TCP and UPD ports registered with IANA for 5723. I know that doesn't mean
they use both of them though. Given two generations of MOM used UDP and using
UDP for heartbeats makes sense (less network overhead) I would like 'hard'
documentation that states it one way or the other.
http://opsmgr2007.wikidot.com/system:agents
Post by Graham Davies
The relevant ports are listed here -
http://technet.microsoft.com/en-gb/library/cc540431(TechNet.10).aspx (TCP)
Cheers
Graham
Post by IT Guy
Back in the MOM days the agent used a UDP datagram to send heartbeat
information to the MOM console. However, I haven't seen any definitive
information on how SCOM sends heartbeat information. Does it use UDP
5723,
or
bundle it with normal TCP communications on port 5723?
UDP 5723 isn't mentioned in any Technet documents that I could find, but
another web site did mention it. The various firewall rule tables I've seen
don't break out TCP vs UDP requirements.
Thanks!
IT Guy
2008-06-24 21:18:03 UTC
Permalink
Thanks! I also proved this by installing a sniffer and monitoring the
communications. And yes indeed, only TCP 5723 is used.
Post by Graham Davies
When I have installed across firewalls I've only ever asked for TCP to be
opened and not had an issue (though it may be that whoever configured the
firewall also opened it for UDP traffic as well). MOM 2000 and MOM 2005 were
essentially NetIQ products at heart and in general how things worked in
those versions is a poor guide to how things work in Operations Manager 2007
(as I'm sure you've already found).
"You need to make sure that network ports are opened for communication
between the agents and the management server, between the Operations Console
and the management server, and between the Web Console and the management
server. All other inter-service communication occurs on the management
 Operations Console to Root management server: TCP 5724
 Operations Console to Reporting Server: TCP 80
 Web Console to Web Console server: TCP 51908, 443
 Agent to Root Management Server: TCP 5723
 ACS forwarder to ACS collector: TCP 51909
 Agentless management: occurs over remote procedure call "
Cheers
Graham
Post by IT Guy
Right, but the article doesn't call out TCP or UDP. Microsoft has both the
TCP and UPD ports registered with IANA for 5723. I know that doesn't mean
they use both of them though. Given two generations of MOM used UDP and using
UDP for heartbeats makes sense (less network overhead) I would like 'hard'
documentation that states it one way or the other.
http://opsmgr2007.wikidot.com/system:agents
Post by Graham Davies
The relevant ports are listed here -
http://technet.microsoft.com/en-gb/library/cc540431(TechNet.10).aspx (TCP)
Cheers
Graham
Post by IT Guy
Back in the MOM days the agent used a UDP datagram to send heartbeat
information to the MOM console. However, I haven't seen any definitive
information on how SCOM sends heartbeat information. Does it use UDP
5723,
or
bundle it with normal TCP communications on port 5723?
UDP 5723 isn't mentioned in any Technet documents that I could find, but
another web site did mention it. The various firewall rule tables I've seen
don't break out TCP vs UDP requirements.
Thanks!
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