Making non-scoped file shares accessible while using virtual server name or IP address if NetBIOS and WINS are disabled

Last published : Aug 05, 2026
The VCS FileShare agent depends on NetBIOS or DNS to resolve the virtual name. If NetBIOS and WINS are disabled or the DNS is not updated, the agent is unable to resolve the virtual name.
This may typically occur when the file share service groups are configured to use localized IP addresses. When the service group is switched or failed over, the virtual name to IP address mapping changes. In such a case if WINS database or the DNS are not updated, the agent is unable to resolve the virtual name. As a result the FileShare resources fault and the shares become inaccessible.
The following message appears in the agent log:
VCS INFO V-16-10051-10530 FileShare:servicegroupname:online:
Failed to access the network path (\\virtualName)
The FileShare agent is enhanced to address this issue. The FileShare agent behavior can be controlled using the following registry key:
HKLM\SOFTWARE\VERITAS\VCS\BundledAgents\
\Lanman\virtualName\DisableStrictVirtualNameCheck
Set the DisableStrictVirtualNameCheck key to have the FileShare agent make the file shares accessible irrespective of whether or not the virtual name is resolvable. In case the virtual name is not resolvable, the file shares are accessible using the virtual IP.
You must create this registry key manually.
Note: Incorrectly editing the registry may severely damage your system. Back up the registry before making changes.
To configure the DisableStrictVirtualNameCheck registry key
  1. To open the Registry Editor, press **Window+R**on the desktop (opens the Run dialog box), type regedit, and then click OK.
  2. In the registry tree (on the left), navigate to the following location:
    HKLM\SOFTWARE\VERITAS\VCS\BundledAgents
    1. Click Edit > New > Key and create a key by the nameLanman , if it does not exist already.
    2. Select the Lanman key and clickEdit > New > Key and create a key by the name***virtualName***.
    Here, virtualName should be the virtual computer name assigned to the file share server. This is the VirtualName attribute of the Lanman resource in the file share service group.
    The newly created registry key should look like this:
    HKLM\SOFTWARE\VERITAS\VCS\BundledAgents\
    Lanman\virtualName
  3. Select the key that you created in step 4 (virtualName) and add a DWORD type of value.
The value name should be DisableStrictVirtualNameCheck and value data should be 1.
  1. If there are multiple file share service groups to be used in the non-scoped mode, repeat steps 4 and 5 for each Lanman resource that is configured in the file share service group.
  2. Save and exit the Registry Editor.
You must create this key only for Lanman resources that are part of VCS file share service groups. Configuring this key for Lanman resources that are part of other VCS service groups may result in unexpected behavior.