I know it has been a couple of years but I couldn't find an answer for this. I am also seeing this in anything that requires a download. Even in a simple policy sync as shown below. Seems that it checks itself 3 times waiting 30 seconds each time before giving up and going to the Preferred servers / core:
Mon, 07 Apr 2014 16:29:16 [START] Policy synchronization stated.
Mon, 07 Apr 2014 16:29:19 Sending policy request to core server.
Mon, 07 Apr 2014 16:29:19 Requesting policy for {B78C9E6F-2BA7-1741-A34F-C2599097330F}, user DOMAIN\FirstName.LastName, ldap user CN=LastName\, FirstName,OU=Users,OU=Office,OU=US,OU=AMER,OU=DOMAIN,DC=DOMAIN,DC=ds,DC=corp, ladp machine CN=XX1-ABC123,OU=Computers,OU=Office,OU=US,OU=AMER,OU=DOMAIN,DC=DOMAIN,DC=ds,DC=corp
Mon, 07 Apr 2014 16:29:23 Web request returned 0 The web request was successful.
Mon, 07 Apr 2014 16:29:23 Has Policy downloaded from core
Mon, 07 Apr 2014 16:29:26 Processing new and updated remote operations
Mon, 07 Apr 2014 16:29:26 In LoadNewAndUpdatedOperations
Mon, 07 Apr 2014 16:29:26 Out LoadNewAndUpdatedOperations
Mon, 07 Apr 2014 16:29:26 In ConvertDataTable
Mon, 07 Apr 2014 16:29:26 Out ConvertDataTable
Mon, 07 Apr 2014 16:29:26 In RemoteOperationDownload::Download
Mon, 07 Apr 2014 16:29:26 Preparing to download file SDClientTask.CORE-SERVER.3401.xml (hash dXw5L9XB/GUpYh1QjxomDg==)
Mon, 07 Apr 2014 16:29:26 Downloading files to C:\ProgramData\LANDesk\ManagementSuite\landesk\files\
Mon, 07 Apr 2014 16:29:27 8152 9276 Performing TCP connection with a timeout of -1 milliseconds
Mon, 07 Apr 2014 16:29:28 8152 17196 Performing TCP connection with a timeout of 2500 milliseconds
Mon, 07 Apr 2014 16:29:28 8152 17196 SAD ProcessNeedFileReply about to download SDClientTask.CORE-SERVER.3401.xml from peer 10.1.43.101
Mon, 07 Apr 2014 16:29:59 8152 17196 Performing TCP connection with a timeout of -1 milliseconds
Mon, 07 Apr 2014 16:29:59 8152 17196 Performing TCP connection with a timeout of 2500 milliseconds
Mon, 07 Apr 2014 16:29:59 8152 17196 SAD ProcessNeedFileReply about to download SDClientTask.CORE-SERVER.3401.xml from peer 10.1.43.101
Mon, 07 Apr 2014 16:30:30 8152 17196 Performing TCP connection with a timeout of -1 milliseconds
Mon, 07 Apr 2014 16:30:31 8152 17196 Performing TCP connection with a timeout of 2500 milliseconds
Mon, 07 Apr 2014 16:30:31 8152 17196 SAD ProcessNeedFileReply about to download SDClientTask.CORE-SERVER.3401.xml from peer 10.1.43.101
Mon, 07 Apr 2014 16:31:02 8152 17196 Performing TCP connection with a timeout of -1 milliseconds
Mon, 07 Apr 2014 16:31:02 8152 17196 Performing TCP connection with a timeout of 2500 milliseconds
Mon, 07 Apr 2014 16:31:02 8152 17196 SAD ProcessNeedFileReply about to download SDClientTask.CORE-SERVER.3401.xml from peer 10.1.43.101
Mon, 07 Apr 2014 16:31:33 8152 17196 Performing TCP connection with a timeout of -1 milliseconds
Mon, 07 Apr 2014 16:31:34 8152 17196 Performing TCP connection with a timeout of 2500 milliseconds
Mon, 07 Apr 2014 16:31:34 8152 17196 SAD ProcessNeedFileReply about to download SDClientTask.CORE-SERVER.3401.xml from peer 10.1.43.101
Mon, 07 Apr 2014 16:32:05 The remote operation file http://CORE-SERVER.DOMAIN.DS.CORP/landesk/files/SDClientTask.CORE-SERVER.3401.xml was downloaded to C:\ProgramData\LANDesk\ManagementSuite\landesk\files\\SDClientTask.CORE-SERVER.3401.xml.
Mon, 07 Apr 2014 16:32:05 Out RemoteOperationDownload::Download
Mon, 07 Apr 2014 16:32:05 In PolicyResponseData::ProcessExecuteOperations
Mon, 07 Apr 2014 16:32:05 Processing remote operation SDClientTask.CORE-SERVER.3401.xml
Mon, 07 Apr 2014 16:32:05 AddTargetedPolicy succeeded
Mon, 07 Apr 2014 16:32:05 Out PolicyResponseData::ProcessExecuteOperations
Mon, 07 Apr 2014 16:32:05 Processing deleted remote operations
Mon, 07 Apr 2014 16:32:05 In ConvertDataTable
Mon, 07 Apr 2014 16:32:05 Out ConvertDataTable
Mon, 07 Apr 2014 16:32:05 In WriteServerResponse
Mon, 07 Apr 2014 16:32:05 Out WriteServerResponse
Mon, 07 Apr 2014 16:32:05 Policy request has been processed.
Mon, 07 Apr 2014 16:32:05 Checking for rescheduled policies
Mon, 07 Apr 2014 16:32:05 [STOP] Policy Synchronization application complete.