Cannot add clients to Retrospect server.

[demani]

Trying to install a new switch. The current switches are unmanaged Linksys switches (i.e. pass all traffic). The new switch is a managed 3com switch (needed higher density and potentially VLANs later).

 

The switch generally seems to be performing correctly, with the exception of the Retrospect Client backups. We can't add clients that are on the network segment connected to the 3com switch (the ones connected to unmanaged Linksys switches have no problems, and the server is still on the Linksys). Ideally we'd like to replace the small switches with this one as the single network switch, but the Retrospect thing is key for this office. Moving a machine from one segment to the next displays this behavior-i.e. a laptop cannot be added to the client list when connected to the 3com, but can then be moved to a Linksys and it has no issues; and a test with the 3com switch in isolation shows the same problem. So the issue is pretty clearly with the switch.

 

The server application picks up an accurate list of clients from the network (including machines on the 3com segment). But when adding to the backup set there is an error that the client can't be found (standard -1028 Retrospect error). Something is getting in the way of the communication back and forth, or the method the client is using to announce its presence on the network is being dropped or modified. If I add the the client by IP address, it works fine (until the client changes addresses- and laptops are frequently changing as they are out of the office for extended periods- managing static DHCP assignments is too much to handle).

 

Any ideas on what might cause this- some multicast or broadcast function in the client? This cannot be an uncommon issue- I have seen this before, but had other recourses there. How is Retrospect Client interacting with the Server (multicast, broadcast, whatever) and how might it be blocked by a switch?

[Mayoff]

Make sure UDP is open for Subnet Broadcast and Multicast over port 497