SD5501 - Remote Action service: Unavailable // SD5011 - TechDirect Configuration: Unreachable.

Hello,

 

What These Errors Mean SD5501, SD5011

 

SD5501 – Remote Action service: Unavailable

This indicates that the Remote Action service inside the appliance cannot reach Dell cloud endpoints required for TechDirect and remote automation.

Dell documentation states that:

Remote Actions depend on outbound HTTPS connectivity from the appliance to Dell services. If unreachable, Remote Actions are unavailable.

This applies to OME appliances and Secure Connect Gateway, particularly when deployed on a VM.

 

SD5011 – TechDirect Configuration: Unreachable

This error means the appliance cannot retrieve or validate the TechDirect configuration associated with your organization.

Dell confirms this error occurs when:

• TechDirect is not reachable
• The org is not properly mapped
• Secure outbound HTTPS or DNS resolution fails

Observed both in SupportAssist and OME/Services plugin deployments.

 

 

 

Most Common Causes

 

1. Missing or Restricted Outbound Internet Access

This is the most common cause, especially on VMs.

Required outbound connectivity (TCP 443) must be allowed to:

• *.dell.com
• techdirect.dell.com
• tdm.dell.com
• downloads.dell.com
• dl.dell.com
• Dell Services endpoints used by SupportAssist and OME

Dell explicitly states that Internet connectivity is required for:

• TechDirect
• Remote Actions
• Services Plugin

 

2. DNS Resolution Failure from the VM

The appliance must resolve Dell public DNS names.

Common VM issues:

• Internal DNS only
• No forwarders to public DNS
• Split‑DNS without Internet reachability

This causes TechDirect endpoints to appear “Unreachable.”

 

3. Missing or Incorrect Services Plugin Registration

For OpenManage Enterprise, Remote Action and TechDirect functionality requires:

• Services Plugin installed
• Plugin registered with Dell
• Valid Dell account with TechDirect entitlement

If the plugin is installed but not registered or synced, SD5011 occurs.

 

 

4. Clock / Time Drift on the Appliance

If the VM clock is out of sync:

• TLS handshakes fail
• Dell cloud auth fails
• Errors appear as “service unavailable”

Dell recommends NTP synchronization for all management appliances.

 

5. Appliance Cannot Reach Dell from Inside a Proxy‑Restricted Network

If your environment uses a proxy:

• Proxy must support HTTPS tunneling
• Proxy must be configured in the appliance settings
• SSL inspection may break Dell API calls

Dell Tools do not support SSL‑inspecting proxies.

 

 

Troubleshooting steps to try:

 

Step 1 – Use OME / Appliance Troubleshoot Tool

From OpenManage Enterprise:

Monitor → Troubleshoot → Appliance Connectivity Test

Run:

• Internet Connectivity Test
• Dell Site Connectivity Test

 

 

Step 2 – Verify Required Outbound Ports

From the appliance OS or console, verify:

• TCP 443 outbound allowed
• No SSL interception

Dell does not publish a fixed IP list—DNS must be open.

 

Step 3 – Verify TechDirect Association

Confirm:

• Your Dell org is active in TechDirect
• Remote Services is enabled
• The same Dell account is used in the appliance

TechDirect portal: https://techdirect.dell.com

 

Step 4 – Check VM Time Sync

Ensure:

• NTP enabled
• Time synchronized
• No large drift

This is especially critical for VM‑based appliances.

 

Step 5 – Restart Appliance Services

Dell explicitly allows restarting the appliance from the Troubleshoot section.

This clears stuck service states.

 

 

Why This Commonly Happens on VMs

Dell documents that appliance deployments are sensitive to network egress.

VM‑specific causes include:

• NAT‑only networking
• Locked‑down firewall zones
• No public DNS
• Missing proxy config

This matches your “I have this on a VM” observation.