KB75760765: Automation Engine - Pilot on one specific Mac client takes a long time to launch a task

Summary

Pilot installed on Mac launches a task, but seems to lag. You can select the file and launch with the workflow but it takes 3-6 minutes for the task to show in the Task Monitor and start the workflow.

The Pilot launches on other Mac computers and works fine. This problem is related to only one Mac computer.

Symptoms

The Pilot on a specific Mac lags and is slow. The Automation Engine server can not ping the Mac by name (open Command window and  type ping Name-of-Mac).

Solution

When you are using a DNS server, your IT department should register the Automation Engine Server computer and the workstations in the DNS server (also reverse DNS should be done!).

Workaround

1. First check if  there is a DNS server configured:
   1. Open the Command window on the Automation Engine Server.

   2. Type ipconfig/all.

      DNS Servers . . . . . . . . . . . : 10.31.231.35
                                          10.31.231.34

2. If there is a DNS Server, check if the DNS Server is inside the LAN or outside the LAN.
3. If the DNS Server is outside the LAN, go to step 5.
4. If the DNS Server is inside the LAN, check if the computer is registered in the DNS Server:
   1. Open Command window.

   2. Type nslookup computername.

   3. If it is registered it will show name and address in the next line. If not it will show the name of the DNS Server and a message that the compute rname can't be found:

      nslookup  
      genll1111                                                                                                                                                       
       Server:  egwbedc003.esko-graphics.com
      Address:  10.31.231.35
       
      *** egwbedc003.esko-graphics.com
      can't find genl1111: Non-existent domain

5. The workaround is to adapt the host file on the Automation Engine server. 
6. Modify the hosts with WordPad file on the Automation Engine server.
   1. Browse to C:\WINDOWS\system32\drivers\etc.
   2. Right click the hosts file and open with WordPad.
   3. At the bottom of the file, add the IP address of the Mac then tab and add the computer name of the Mac (find it in System Preferences > Network > Sharing).

   4. If the Automation Engine server is not registered in the DNS, then add to the host file, the IP address and Name of the Automation Engine server.

   5. On the Mac, add to the host file all IP addresses and names of the Mac workstations and the Automation Engine server. Learn here how to edit the host file on Mac:

      • Page:
        KB73059540: How to edit the Host Table in Mac OS X
      
      

      DHCP is only allowed if the IP address is reserved!