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VMM Troubleshooting: Windows Remote Management (WinRM)

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Windows Remote Management (WinRM) provides the communication services for communication between the VMM management server and the VMM Host agents. This includes inter agent communications to the following hosts:

  • Hyper-V Virtual Host Servers
  • Virtual Server Host Servers
  • Remote Library Servers

The SCVMM 2008 R2 VMMServer service utilizes the WinRM scripting API (versus COM) for communication with the Windows Remote Management service on the managed hosts.

 Tip:

WinRM error messages usually provide a hex error code that is useful in understanding the problem. To resolve the hex code to error message type:

winrm helpmsg 0xXXXXXXXX

If the hex code is not preceded by ‘0x’ this command will not work.

 

 

Test local WinRM functionality

 

When troubleshooting WinRM treat the process as if performing a simple network ping test. Type the command below at an elevated command prompt:

winrm id

This should produce output similar to below:

IdentifyResponse

    ProtocolVersion = http://schemas.dmtf.org/wbem/wsman/1/wsman.xsd

    ProductVendor = Microsoft Corporation

    ProductVersion = OS: 6.1.7201 SP: 0.0 Stack: 2.0

If an error is generated as opposed to the output above, perform a Quick Configuration of WinRM:

winrm qc

You may be prompted with something similar to below. Answer ‘Yes’ to any requests.

WinRM already is set up to receive requests on this machine.

WinRM is not set up to allow remote access to this machine for management.

The following changes must be made:

 

Enable the WinRM firewall exception.

 

Make these changes [y/n]?    

 

WinRM has been updated for remote management.

 

WinRM firewall exception enabled.

 

WinRM can now be tested again by typing ‘winrm id’ as before.

 

Test remote WinRM functionality

The second half of a WinRM test establishes that the remote server has WinRM configured correctly. At an elevated command prompt type:

winrm id –r:<remoteserver>

This should produce output similar to below:

winrm id -r:vmmr2lab-cl20

IdentifyResponse

    ProtocolVersion = http://schemas.dmtf.org/wbem/wsman/1/wsman.xsd

    ProductVendor = Microsoft Corporation

    ProductVersion = OS: 6.1.7201 SP: 0.0 Stack: 2.0

If instead an error such as below appears, this means WinRM is not set up correctly on the remote machine, or there is something preventing communication over port 80 between the two systems. This could be a firewall or antivirus/malware programs.

WSManFault

    Message = The WinRM client cannot complete the operation within the time spe

cified. Check if the machine name is valid and is reachable over the network and

 firewall exception for Windows Remote Management service is enabled.

 

Error number:  -2144108250 0x80338126

The WinRM client cannot complete the operation within the time specified. Check

if the machine name is valid and is reachable over the network and firewall exce

ption for Windows Remote Management service is enabled.

In this event, test local WinRM functionality on the remote system. If WinRM is configured correctly on the remote system as well the cause is most likely network communication between the two machines. Troubleshoot this as you would any network issue.