Avamar: Unable to register Windows cluster due to "Backup" network

Summary: Cluster client registration using the Avamar Cluster Configuration tool may fail in environments where multiple NICs exist and only the backup network can route traffic to the Avamar grid. This KB provides workarounds to resolve the issue. ...

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Symptoms

When trying to register a Windows cluster client using the Avamar Cluster Configuration tool to the Avamar grid, the following error message may appear: 

"Error: Could not find cid.bin in var folder path (Example: O:\Avamar_logs\var\cid.bin). Please check avagent.log file to see if there are problems with client registration!  Tip: This error can occur if provided details for Avamar server are incorrect."

The following errors in the avagent.log file: 

avagent Error <5365>: Cannot connect to 10.x.xxx.xxx:28001.
avagent Error <6210>: Unable to register '/DELL\Cluster_client' with MCS at xxxxx.xxxx.lab.emc.com:28001
avagent Error <7500>: Registration error: NULL message received
Federated cluster clients (Exchange DAG, Hyper-V CSV) may also fail to appear in the Avamar console even if the Cluster Wizard completes successfully.

Cause

The cluster client may fail to register if:

  • Cluster nodes have multiple NICs.
  • Only the NIC designated as a backup network can route traffic to the Avamar grid.
  • By default, the cluster agent binds to the production IP address, which may lack a default gateway or connectivity to the Avamar grid.

Resolution

Configure the Backup Agent for <<Cluster Name>> service to bind to the IP address that can communicate to the Avamar grid.

  1. Open the Failover Cluster Management Tool from Windows OS.
  2. Go to cluster name -> Service and Applications. 
  3. Find the Backup Agent Service for <<Cluster Name>>, right-click, and select Properties.
  4. Go to the General tab and then copy existing content of the Startup Parameters field to Notepad.
  5. Make the following changes to startup parameters 
    1. Edit --netbind=<<IP address of Backup network>>, that is --netbind=10.xx.xx.x
Remove the --disablegui=true flag
  6. Save the change.
    1. Take offline the Backup Agent resource.
    2. Take online the Backup Agent resource.
For cluster clients, confirm that the NIC that is bound to the designated IP address has a default gateway or can reach the Avamar grid. If not, choose a different available IP address that can be bound to an existing NIC interface that has access to the Avamar grid.

Connectivity Test:
Use ping with source IP:

ping -S <source IP address> <Avamar grid IP>

Example:

ping -S 10.x.x.x 192.xxx.x.x

If you see:

PING: transmit failed. General failure.

The selected IP cannot reach the grid. Adjust network configuration or choose another IP.

Additional Information

  • Applies to Windows clusters and federated cluster clients (Exchange DAG, Hyper-V CSV)
  • If registration still fails, review network routing and firewall rules
  • In TCP/IP networking, a default gateway is required to route IP packets to an IP subnet that is not in its routing table

Affected Products

Avamar

Products

Avamar
Article Properties
Article Number: 000039560
Article Type: Solution
Last Modified: 05 Dec 2025
Version:  6
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