Lync Server PowerShell synthetic transactions fail

Applies to: Lync Server 2010 Standard EditionLync Server 2010 Enterprise EditionLync Server 2013

Symptoms

  • The Lync Server pool consists of more than one Lync Server.
  • The Lync Server PowerShell synthetic transactions fails and returns an error similar to the one listed below to the Lync Server Management Shell console

    VERBOSE: Workflow Instance Id e75a536c-3755-4017-a219-96940b1094a5, started.
    TargetFqdn : pool01.contoso.com
    Result : Failure
    Latency : 00:00:00
    Error : 504, Server time-out
    Diagnosis : ErrorCode=1038,Source=server01.contoso.com,Reason=Failed to connect to a peer server
    Microsoft.Rtc.Signaling.DiagnosticHeader
    VERBOSE: 'Register' activity started.
    Sending Registration request:
    Target Fqdn = pool01.contoso.com
    User Sip Address = sip:bobkelly.pool01@contoso.com <sip:bobkelly.pool01@contoso.com>
    Registrar Port = 5061.
    Auth Type 'Trusted' is selected.
    Registration Request hit against Unknown
    'Register' activity completed in '40.2277512' secs.
    'Register' activity started.
    Sending Registration request:
    Target Fqdn = pool01.contoso.com
    User Sip Address = sip:cashton.pool01@contoso.com.com <sip:cashton.pool01@contoso.com.com> 
    Registrar Port = 5061.
    Auth Type 'Trusted' is selected.
    Registration Request hit against Unknown
    'Register' activity completed in '0.366368' secs.
    'InviteP2PIM' activity started.
    An exception 'A 504 (Server time-out) response was received from the network and the operation failed. See the exception details for more information.' occurred during Workflow

Cause

  • The Windows Firewall on the Lync Server pool servers is not configured to allow incoming connectivity from the Windows PowerShell application
  • The Windows Firewall on the Lync Server pool servers is not configured to allow incoming connectivity from the Microsoft SCOM 2007 R2 MonitoringHost.exe process
Information Some Lync Server PowerShell synthetic transactions require inter Lync Server pool server connectivity for the Windows PowerShell process.

Information When the Lync Server PowerShell synthetic transaction is executed from the Lync Server watcher node inter Lync Server pool server connectivity is required for the Microsoft SCOM 2007 R2 MonitoringHost and Windows PowerShell processes.

Resolution

Add the PowerShell and MonitoringHost executable files to the Windows Firewall exceptions list

Use the following step by step information to add either or both powershell.exe and monitoringhost.exe to the Windows Firewall on the Windows Server based computer that hosts Lync Server services:

Server 2008
  1. Go to Start, Control Panel
  2. Click on the Security icon
  3. Under Windows Firewall click on the Allow a program through Windows Firewall hyperlink
  4. Select the Exceptions tab on the Windows Firewall Settings dialog
  5. Click on the Add program... button
  6. Click on the Browse... button on the Add a Program dialog and locate the %SystemRoot%\System32\WindowsPowershell\V1.0 folder
  7. Select the powershell.exe file and click on the Open button
  8. Click the OK button on the Add a program dialog

    Note If the Lync Server PowerShell synthetic transaction is not being executed from the Lync Server watcher node then skip to step 12 listed below.
  9. Click on the Add program... button
  10. Click on the Browse... button on the Add a Program dialog and locate the %ProgramFiles%\System Center Operations Manager\Agent\ folder
  11. Select the monitoringhost.exe file and click on the open button
  12. Click on the OK button to conclude the Windows Firewall configuration
Server 2008 R2

  1. Go to Start, Control Panel
  2. Click on the System and Security icon
  3. Under Windows Firewall click on the Allow a program through Windows Firewall hyperlink
  4. Click on the Allow another program... button on the Allowed Programs dialog
  5. Click on the Browse... button on the Allow a Program dialog and locate the %SystemRoot%\System32\WindowsPowershell\V1.0 folder
  6. Select the powershell.exe file and click on the Open button
  7. Click on the Add button on the Add a Program dialog

    Note If the Lync Server PowerShell synthetic transaction is not being executed from the Lync Server watcher node then skip to step 12 listed below.
  8. Click on the Allow another program... button on the Allowed Programs dialog
  9. Click on the Browse... button on the Allow a Program dialog and locate the %ProgramFiles%\System Center Operations Manager\Agent folder
  10. Select the monitoringhost.exe file and click on the Open button
  11. Click on the Add button on the Add a Program dialog
  12. Click on the OK button to conclude the Windows Firewall configuration

More Information

For more detailed information on Lync Server PowerShell cmdlets:

Windows PowerShell and Lync Server Management Tools

Lync Server 2013 Cmdlets by Category

Lync Server 2013 Cmdlets Index