Blueprint: Pharos Systems TaskMaster service does not start after applying Service Pack 1.2

Symptoms

• Pharos Systems TaskMaster service does not start

• Pharos Blueprint Administrator cannot connect to Analyst/Collector

• The following errors can also be observed in the TaskMaster.log file:

  • 1) Exception Information
    =============================================
    Exception Type: System.Reflection.TargetInvocationException
    Message: Exception has been thrown by the target of an invocation.
    HelpLink: NULL
    Source: mscorlib
    HResult: -2146232828

  • 2) Exception Information
    =============================================
    Exception Type: System.DirectoryServices.ActiveDirectory.ActiveDirectoryOperationException
    ErrorCode: 0
    Message: Current security context is not associated with an Active Directory domain or forest.
    HelpLink: NULL
    Source: PharosSystems.Blueprint.Library
    HResult: -2146233088

  • [TaskMaster.ShutdownOnStartupFailure] TaskMaster failed to start. Shutting down.

Environment

• Pharos Systems Blueprint Enterprise 5.1

• Pharos Systems Service Pack 1.2 for Blueprint Enterprise 5.1

Cause

The server hosting Pharos Blueprint Enterprise Analyst/Collector is not part of a Microsoft Active Directory domain, but is a "workgroup" server. The updated Directory Services plug-in installed with Service Pack 1.2 must be able to connect with an X.500-based directory service (Active Directory, LDAP, or Novell eDirectory) or it fails to load. This failure prevents the TaskMaster service from starting.

Resolution

1. The Directory Services call must be removed in the Blueprint server's configuration:

2. Open GlobalConfig.xml in Notepad or some other text editor. By default this file is stored in C:\ProgramData\PharosSystems\Blueprint.

3. Find this section:
   
   <UserGroupFinderConfig ConfigVersion="4.0" xmlns="http://www.pharos.com/Core/GlobalConfiguration">;
       <SelectedFinderFileName>PharosSystems.Blueprint.UserGroupFinder.DirectoryServices.dll</SelectedFinderFileName>
       <Finders>
         <Finder Name="Directory Services" FileName="PharosSystems.Blueprint.UserGroupFinder.DirectoryServices.dll" />
       </Finders>
   </UserGroupFinderConfig>

4. Comment the whole section (this allows for easier recovery later, should the server be added to an Active Directory domain) by wrapping it with <!-- at the front and --> at the end. It will look like this:
   
   <!--<UserGroupFinderConfig ConfigVersion="4.0" xmlns="http://www.pharos.com/Core/GlobalConfiguration">;
       <SelectedFinderFileName>PharosSystems.Blueprint.UserGroupFinder.DirectoryServices.dll</SelectedFinderFileName>
       <Finders>
         <Finder Name="Directory Services" FileName="PharosSystems.Blueprint.UserGroupFinder.DirectoryServices.dll" />
       </Finders>
   </UserGroupFinderConfig>-->

5. Scroll down until you find this line (it is wrapped to a multiline string here; in the file it will be just one line):
   
   <Service Type="PharosSystems.Blueprint.Services.DirectoryService.DirectoryService,PharosSystems.Blueprint.Services.DirectoryService" Uri="PharosSystems/Blueprint/Services/DirectoryService/DirectoryService.svc" WarmStartSingleton="true" />

6. Comment this line using the same wrapping symbols:
   
   <!--<Service Type="PharosSystems.Blueprint.Services.DirectoryService.DirectoryService,PharosSystems.Blueprint.Services.DirectoryService" Uri="PharosSystems/Blueprint/Services/DirectoryService/DirectoryService.svc" WarmStartSingleton="true" />-->

7. Save the file and exit.

8. Start the Pharos Systems TaskMaster service.