Can't access SmartConsole ("Unable to connect to server") but can access WebUI...

[Vivus]

I'm setting up some virtual machines in VirtualBox attempting to complete@Magnus-Holmberg's CCSA lab series (which is brilliant might I add, thank you Magnus) in preparation for my CCSA, however, I'm having some trouble accessing SmartConsole.

I have a Windows10 machine running on an internal network (192.168.1.0/24) with address 192.168.1.5 (also has a NAT connection on 10.0.3.15) and my Check Point Gaia Management server ('cpmgmt', distributed setup on R80.40) running on 192.168.1.200. I can easily log in to the WebUI and access the management server and can successfully ping each machine from the other, however, the issue arises when I attempt to access cpmgmt via SmartConsole via which the only message I receive is "Unable to connect to server". I've turned off all of Windows Firewalls and have some idea that IPV4 Static Routes could be my issue, but no luck thus far.

Any ideas?

@Magnus_Holmberg

[Magnus-Holmberg]

first of all thank you 🙂

It sounds like it may have been missed with the allowed GUI clients.
https://sc1.checkpoint.com/documents/R81/WebAdminGuides/EN/CP_R81_Gaia_AdminGuide/Topics-GAG/GUI-Cli...

regards,
Magnus

[Vivus]

Hi Magnus,

Thanks for the response. Unfortunately, that didn't work... it's strange, I managed to log in via SmartConsole yesterday with no problems but also no explanation or reason as to why it hadn't worked the day prior. Then, this morning, when I went to try again, it had "Unable to connect to server" once again for me.

I had a look at the documentation you shared and tried via that avenue as well, using both WebUI and clish, neither of which gave me any success, as per images given below. Any idea as to why this might be?

Thanks again for the assistance!

 

[Vivus · Accepted solution]

Ah problem solved!

I did a bit more troubleshooting online and in expert mode ran the shell /etc/fw/scripts/cpm_status.sh and found that the management server was not only not running, but barely initialising. After boosting it's RAM to 8GB (I know I should've had it at that from the start but my poor 16GB computer is struggling with feelings of inadequacy and can hardly keep up). Nonetheless, the script ran when I upped the RAM and told me that my server was successfully initialising until it was running. And now my management server is running!

Thanks for your help Magnus, looking forward to finishing that course now.

[Magnus-Holmberg]

Troubleshooting during training / lab is the best way to learn in real 🙂 good finding!

ye with 16gb it will be difficult, I don’t remember how much I needed to use in total during the CCSA part. If possible I would try to add some more ram in the computer. 🙂

[PhoneBoy]

I usually allocate 16GB to my management VM for optimal performance.
8GB is sufficient if you're not doing too much in SmartEvent.
I believe you can get away with as little as 6GB, but I imagine it won't be too performant.