Control-M/Server for UNIX and Microsoft Windows
 

By default, all Server to Agent and Agent to Server communication is done in Transient mode. This means that a connection is established when one needs to update the other about a job, get a sysout, etc.

The alternative option, Persistent mode, is particularly useful in scenarios where the Control-M/Server is inside the firewall and the Control-M/Agent is outside the firewall.
By establishing a persistent connection and opening a single port communication between the Control-M/Server and Control-M/Agent will be seamless and job updates will occur on the Control-M/Enterprise Manager GUI just as quickly as they are received.
Since a Control-M/Agent outside a firewall poses a potential security risk, disallowing the Control-M/Agent to initiate communication to the Control-M/Server in the form of Agent utilities is a good plan as well.

The following video demonstrates this solution:

You will need to recruit your Network group for assistance in performing some of these steps.

On the Firewall:

1. Have your network group open the Server to Agent Port Number for bidirectional communication. 
2. This port number can be found in ctm_menu under option
   6 - Parameter Customization, then option
   5 - Parameters for Communicating with Specific Agent Platforms

On the Control-M/Server:

1. Open ctm_menu
2. Choose option 6 - Parameter Customization
3. Choose option 5 - Parameters for Communicating with Specific Agent Platforms
4. Enter the name of the CONTROL-M/Agent which is outside the firewall
5. Choose option 8)  Persistent Connection
6. Change this to Y
7. Save the changes.

On the Agent:

1. Open ctmagcfg.
2. Choose option 18)     Allow Comm Init. . .  . . . . . . :
3. Change this to N
4. Save the changes.
5. There is no need to change option 17)     Persistent Connection.  The Control-M/Server will change this automatically

Using the standard Control-M utilities ag_diag_comm and ctm_diag_comm verify connectivity between the Control-M/Agent you just configured and the Control-M/Server. Executing ctm_diag_comm first on the Control-M/Server in order that the persistent connection is established and then run the ag_diag_comm on the Agent to verify that the persistent communication is accesible from the Agent side. 

 

Additional Information:
Customers viewing this solution may find value in the following self-help Connect with Control-M video.