Entra Connect Fails During Installation

Question

I'm trying to install Entra Connect, but it keeps failing at the "Connect Directories" step. I've tried installing it on multiple servers, and I get the same error regardless, which leads me to believe the issue lies with AD or my O365 tenant.

Unfortunately, the details are very limited. "Unspecified management agent errors" being the cause.

Here's the trace log:

[07:45:09.169] [ 17] [INFO ] SyncDataProvider: Calling refresh schema on connector FCSO.local
[07:45:09.961] [ 17] [ERROR] ConfigSyncDirectoriesPage: Caught exception while creating the connector for directory: FCSO.local.
Exception Data (Raw): System.Management.Automation.CmdletInvocationException: The management agent run was terminated as there were unspecified management agent errors. ---> Microsoft.IdentityManagement.PowerShell.ObjectModel.SynchronizationConfigurationValidationException: The management agent run was terminated as there were unspecified management agent errors.
   at Microsoft.DirectoryServices.MetadirectoryServices.UI.WebServices.MMSWebService.GetSchemaFromDirectory(Connector connector, Boolean commit)
   at Microsoft.IdentityManagement.PowerShell.Cmdlet.UpdateADSyncConnectorSchemaCmdlet.ProcessRecord()
   --- End of inner exception stack trace ---
   at System.Management.Automation.Runspaces.PipelineBase.Invoke(IEnumerable input)
   at System.Management.Automation.PowerShell.Worker.ConstructPipelineAndDoWork(Runspace rs, Boolean performSyncInvoke)
   at System.Management.Automation.PowerShell.Worker.CreateRunspaceIfNeededAndDoWork(Runspace rsToUse, Boolean isSync)
   at System.Management.Automation.PowerShell.CoreInvokeHelper[TInput,TOutput](PSDataCollection`1 input, PSDataCollection`1 output, PSInvocationSettings settings)
   at System.Management.Automation.PowerShell.CoreInvoke[TInput,TOutput](PSDataCollection`1 input, PSDataCollection`1 output, PSInvocationSettings settings)
   at System.Management.Automation.PowerShell.Invoke(IEnumerable input, PSInvocationSettings settings)
   at Microsoft.Online.Deployment.PowerShell.LocalPowerShell.Invoke()
   at Microsoft.Online.Deployment.PowerShell.PowerShellAdapter.TypeDependencies.InvokePowerShell(IPowerShell powerShell)
   at Microsoft.Online.Deployment.PowerShell.PowerShellAdapter.InvokePowerShellCommand(String commandName, InitialSessionState initialSessionState, IDictionary`2 commandParameters, Boolean isScript)
   at Microsoft.Azure.ActiveDirectory.Synchronization.PowerShellConfigAdapter.ConnectorConfigAdapter.UpdateConnectorSchema(Connector connector)
   at Microsoft.Azure.ActiveDirectory.Synchronization.Config.ConnectorAdapterBase.UpdateConnectorSchema()
   at Microsoft.Online.Deployment.Types.Providers.SyncDataProvider.UpdateConnectorSchema(ConnectorAdapterBase connectorAdapter)
   at Microsoft.Online.Deployment.OneADWizard.UI.WizardPages.ConfigSyncDirectoriesPageViewModel.CreateADDSConnector(IDirectoryConnection directory)
   at Microsoft.Online.Deployment.OneADWizard.UI.WizardPages.ConfigSyncDirectoriesPageViewModel.CreateConnectors(Object obj)
[07:45:09.979] [ 40] [ERROR] A terminating unhandled exception occurred.
Exception Data (Raw): System.AggregateException: One or more errors occurred. ---> System.Management.Automation.CmdletInvocationException: The management agent run was terminated as there were unspecified management agent errors. ---> Microsoft.IdentityManagement.PowerShell.ObjectModel.SynchronizationConfigurationValidationException: The management agent run was terminated as there were unspecified management agent errors.
   at Microsoft.DirectoryServices.MetadirectoryServices.UI.WebServices.MMSWebService.GetSchemaFromDirectory(Connector connector, Boolean commit)
   at Microsoft.IdentityManagement.PowerShell.Cmdlet.UpdateADSyncConnectorSchemaCmdlet.ProcessRecord()
   --- End of inner exception stack trace ---
   at System.Management.Automation.Runspaces.PipelineBase.Invoke(IEnumerable input)
   at System.Management.Automation.PowerShell.Worker.ConstructPipelineAndDoWork(Runspace rs, Boolean performSyncInvoke)
   at System.Management.Automation.PowerShell.Worker.CreateRunspaceIfNeededAndDoWork(Runspace rsToUse, Boolean isSync)
   at System.Management.Automation.PowerShell.CoreInvokeHelper[TInput,TOutput](PSDataCollection`1 input, PSDataCollection`1 output, PSInvocationSettings settings)
   at System.Management.Automation.PowerShell.CoreInvoke[TInput,TOutput](PSDataCollection`1 input, PSDataCollection`1 output, PSInvocationSettings settings)
   at System.Management.Automation.PowerShell.Invoke(IEnumerable input, PSInvocationSettings settings)
   at Microsoft.Online.Deployment.PowerShell.LocalPowerShell.Invoke()
   at Microsoft.Online.Deployment.PowerShell.PowerShellAdapter.TypeDependencies.InvokePowerShell(IPowerShell powerShell)
   at Microsoft.Online.Deployment.PowerShell.PowerShellAdapter.InvokePowerShellCommand(String commandName, InitialSessionState initialSessionState, IDictionary`2 commandParameters, Boolean isScript)
   at Microsoft.Azure.ActiveDirectory.Synchronization.PowerShellConfigAdapter.ConnectorConfigAdapter.UpdateConnectorSchema(Connector connector)
   at Microsoft.Azure.ActiveDirectory.Synchronization.Config.ConnectorAdapterBase.UpdateConnectorSchema()
   at Microsoft.Online.Deployment.Types.Providers.SyncDataProvider.UpdateConnectorSchema(ConnectorAdapterBase connectorAdapter)
   at Microsoft.Online.Deployment.OneADWizard.UI.WizardPages.ConfigSyncDirectoriesPageViewModel.CreateADDSConnector(IDirectoryConnection directory)
   at Microsoft.Online.Deployment.OneADWizard.UI.WizardPages.ConfigSyncDirectoriesPageViewModel.CreateConnectors(Object obj)
   at System.Threading.Tasks.Task.Execute()
   --- End of inner exception stack trace ---
---> (Inner Exception #0) System.Management.Automation.CmdletInvocationException: The management agent run was terminated as there were unspecified management agent errors. ---> Microsoft.IdentityManagement.PowerShell.ObjectModel.SynchronizationConfigurationValidationException: The management agent run was terminated as there were unspecified management agent errors.
   at Microsoft.DirectoryServices.MetadirectoryServices.UI.WebServices.MMSWebService.GetSchemaFromDirectory(Connector connector, Boolean commit)
   at Microsoft.IdentityManagement.PowerShell.Cmdlet.UpdateADSyncConnectorSchemaCmdlet.ProcessRecord()
   --- End of inner exception stack trace ---
   at System.Management.Automation.Runspaces.PipelineBase.Invoke(IEnumerable input)
   at System.Management.Automation.PowerShell.Worker.ConstructPipelineAndDoWork(Runspace rs, Boolean performSyncInvoke)
   at System.Management.Automation.PowerShell.Worker.CreateRunspaceIfNeededAndDoWork(Runspace rsToUse, Boolean isSync)
   at System.Management.Automation.PowerShell.CoreInvokeHelper[TInput,TOutput](PSDataCollection`1 input, PSDataCollection`1 output, PSInvocationSettings settings)
   at System.Management.Automation.PowerShell.CoreInvoke[TInput,TOutput](PSDataCollection`1 input, PSDataCollection`1 output, PSInvocationSettings settings)
   at System.Management.Automation.PowerShell.Invoke(IEnumerable input, PSInvocationSettings settings)
   at Microsoft.Online.Deployment.PowerShell.LocalPowerShell.Invoke()
   at Microsoft.Online.Deployment.PowerShell.PowerShellAdapter.TypeDependencies.InvokePowerShell(IPowerShell powerShell)
   at Microsoft.Online.Deployment.PowerShell.PowerShellAdapter.InvokePowerShellCommand(String commandName, InitialSessionState initialSessionState, IDictionary`2 commandParameters, Boolean isScript)
   at Microsoft.Azure.ActiveDirectory.Synchronization.PowerShellConfigAdapter.ConnectorConfigAdapter.UpdateConnectorSchema(Connector connector)
   at Microsoft.Azure.ActiveDirectory.Synchronization.Config.ConnectorAdapterBase.UpdateConnectorSchema()
   at Microsoft.Online.Deployment.Types.Providers.SyncDataProvider.UpdateConnectorSchema(ConnectorAdapterBase connectorAdapter)
   at Microsoft.Online.Deployment.OneADWizard.UI.WizardPages.ConfigSyncDirectoriesPageViewModel.CreateADDSConnector(IDirectoryConnection directory)
   at Microsoft.Online.Deployment.OneADWizard.UI.WizardPages.ConfigSyncDirectoriesPageViewModel.CreateConnectors(Object obj)
   at System.Threading.Tasks.Task.Execute()<---

[07:45:09.994] [  1] [INFO ] Page transition from "Connect Directories" [ConfigSyncDirectoriesPageViewModel] to "Error" [ErrorPageViewModel]

Also, just to confirm, TLS settings are correct:

Not sure where to go from here.

Answer 1

After closer inspection of the trace log, the error is most definitely local. It happens when the AD connector is being created for the specified forest. The AI insta response for this question indicated the error occurred during the scan of the AD Schema, but its suggestions were obvious "troubleshoots 101" stuff (ex. make sure you're using the correct password, make sure you're using an Enterprise Admin account, etc.).

Regardless, I never could get Entra Connect to work in my environment. I did, however, manage to get Cloud Sync to work perfectly fine! Maybe the Cloud Sync agent doesn't have nearly as deep of hooks into the AD Schema as Entra Connect. It obviously has some, because you filter by Group or OU Distinguished Names if you don't want your entire AD structure to sync to the cloud. Anyway, "problem not solved but solved" as they say. If you're having a hard time with Entra Connect, give Cloud Sync a try.

Answer 2

Hi David,

I have seen this and I am suspecting it is similar issue we had related to the Firewall/proxy blocking access, however details information is here https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/troubleshoot/entra/entra-id/user-prov-sync/unable-communicate-windows-service

1. Open the following file: C:\Windows\Microsoft.NET\Framework64\v4.0.30319\Config\machine.config.
2. Add the following text to the end of the file: <system.net> <defaultProxy> <proxy usesystemdefault="true" proxyaddress="http://<PROXYIP>:80" bypassonlocal="true" /> </defaultProxy> </system.net>

So you need to add your proxy server IP address in the config, please backup the config file and also you can run a network track on the server and check the drop packets.

Hope this helps.

JS

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