Important Information About Firewalls and Troubleshooting

Some Linux distributions automatically configure firewall software during installation, usually using iptables, which is the standard Linux kernel’s method of providing firewall support. Such a firewall configuration may block remote management stations from contacting the SNMP daemon, making it difficult to troubleshoot HP Insight Management Agents.

To execute the troubleshooting steps in this document, you must shut down firewall software on the managed server using the following steps. The information in the “Advanced Troubleshooting Steps” section applies only when you have the standard Linux firewall capabilities of iptables. Consult your network administrator to determine if this situation exists.

Shutting Down iptables

	WARNING! Inform your network administrator before you stop a running firewall, even momentarily. Disabling the firewall creates a potential security breach, and you must weigh this threat against the benefits of live troubleshooting.

1. Enter /etc/init.d/iptables status and press Enter to see if the firewall software is installed and running.

   • If you see the message No such file or directory, then standard firewall software is not installed and you can proceed to “First Troubleshooting Steps”.

     Or

   • If you see the message Firewall is stopped, proceed to“First Troubleshooting Steps”.

     Or

   • If you see output indicating the firewall is running, proceed to the next step.

2. If the firewall is running, enter /etc/init.d/iptables stop, and then press Enter to stop the firewall. You can then proceed to “First Troubleshooting Steps”.