When you generate a Cloud-enabled Management (CEM) agent package, you see the errors "Failed to generate package" and "Object reference not set to an instance of an object" in the logs as shown here:
Module: w3wp.exe
Source: Altiris.NS.UI.Admin.ClientManagement.IbcmAgentInstallationPackage.OnGeneratePackage
Description: Failed to generate agent package
Altiris.NS.Exceptions.AeXException (Altiris.NS.StandardItems): Object reference not set to an instance of an object.
at Altiris.NS.StandardItems.AgentManagement.CEMPackageRegistrator.BuildSitePackage(String siteIdentifier, IEnumerable`1 gateways, IEnumerable`1 resourceTargets, IEnumerable`1 organizationalGroups, String additionalInstallParams, DateTime requestedPackageExpiry, AgentPackageParameters packageParams, DateTime& packageExpiry)
at Altiris.NS.UI.Admin.ClientManagement.IbcmAgentInstallationPackage.OnGeneratePackage(Object sender, EventArgs e)
ITMS 8.5, 8.6
The self-signed "Client Authentication" SSL certificate cached on the SMP server lost its reference to a corresponding private key. As a result the certificate was insolvent and could not be used for secure communications by the thumbprint referenced in the package builder UI.
The certificate’s thumbprint is saved to the registry string:
HKLM\Software\Altiris\express\Notification Server\CA\Agent\Thumbprint
In cases where the corresponding private key is broken, the solution is to remove the broken key and load a previously exported backup (.PFX file) of the original certificate.
If a backup of the certificate does not exist then a new one will need to be generated. This will require that the new certificate be deployed to all existing clients and gateway machines.