satellite-sync fails with "RhnSyncException: ERROR: server.dump.channels('<the systemid>', []): (-2, 'Name or service not known') "

Issue

• satellite-sync fails with following error message

  "RhnSyncException: ERROR: server.dump.channels('<the systemid>', []): (-2, 'Name or service not known') "
  
  
  
  # satellite-sync -c rhel-x86_64-server-5
  
  15:29:50
  15:29:50 Downloading kickstartable trees files
  15:29:50    Retrieving / parsing kickstart tree files: rhel-x86_64-server-5 (992)
              ________________________________________
  Downloading:+++ sending log as an email +++
  ERROR: a general socket occurred:
  (Check logs/email for potentially more detail)
  (-2, 'Name or service not known')