SMS Despooler Does Not Support Forced Installation and Upgrade

• Microsoft Systems Management Server version 1.1

SYMPTOM

The Systems Management Server Despooler does not support forced installation and upgrade of package directories on Windows NT distribution servers.

STATUS

Microsoft has confirmed this to be a problem in Systems Management Server version 1.1. This problem has been corrected in Systems Management Server version 1.2.

MORE INFORMATION

The Systems Management Server Despooler now supports forced installation and upgrade of package directories on Windows NT distribution servers.

At each Systems Management Server site, the Systems Management Server Despooler installs and updates package directories on distribution servers that are specified in the Distribution Phase of Run Command On Workstation and Share Package On Server jobs. When a package is distributed using these types of jobs, the Despooler installs the files for the package on a shared directory on each distribution server specified by the job. If the some or all of the files already exist in the package directory (that is, the files were installed by the Despooler during a previous job or the files simply already existed in the shared directory), the Despooler attempts to update those files.

In Systems Management Server 1.0 and 1.1, the Systems Management Server Despooler copied each file in the package to the package directory on each distribution server. If any of the files within the package directory were locked by a user accessing the file, the Despooler would stop the file copying process at that particular file and then retry at a set time interval for a set number of retries. In this case, the package directory would contain some files that have been updated but the locked file would block the rest of the files from being updated. If one or more files continued to be locked when the Despooler reached the retry limit, then the package directory would not be updated completely and the Despooler would report the servers installation status as failed. Even if the package directory was successfully updated over time, this delay may be unacceptable.

With Systems Management Server 1.2, you can enable forced delivery of the package files on Windows NT distribution servers--even if one or more files in the package directory are locked. You enable this feature through the Windows NT registry of the site server. By default, this feature is disabled.

If the forced delivery feature is enabled, the Despooler checks for any open files in the package directory (as well as any subdirectories within the package directory) on the distribution server. If one or more files are open, the Despooler determines whether it should force the installation of the package files--based on the Number of Retries Before Forced Disconnection entry in the registry. If the count of retries is less than the Number of Retries Before Forced Disconnection entry, the Despooler waits for the time specified by the retry interval (retry interval is 24 times the Despooler polling interval).

If the Despooler detects that current count of retries has exceeded the Number of Retries Before Forced Disconnection entry in the registry, the Despooler revokes access to the package directory from all users except the Systems Management Server service account (this allows current users who are connected to maintain access but prevents new users from connecting to the package directory) and sends a a disconnection warning message to all users who have files open in the package directory.

This message tells the user that they should close all applications running from the package directory and close all files open on the package directory and that Systems Management Server will close access to the package directory after the length time specified in the Forced Disconnection Delay In Minutes entry. After the Forced Disconnection Delay In Minutes time has elapsed, the Despooler closes the package directory for all users who still have files open. The Despooler then copies the package files and restores access to the package directory. Finally, the Despooler sends a message to the users who were previously sent the disconnection warning message. This message informs the users that the package directory is ready for access again.

The following rules apply to the forced delivery setting:

• Settings for forced delivery apply only to the sites whose site server registries you have configured for forced delivery. For example, if you have five sites and you want to enable forced delivery on each site, you must set the forced delivery settings in the registry of the site servers in each of the five sites.
• Settings for forced delivery apply to target sites (that is, sites that receive the package). For example, if you created a job at Site A to distribute a package to Site B and Site A had forced delivery enabled and Site B did not, forced delivery would have no effect on that job. However, if you created the same job and Site A did not have forced delivery enabled and Site B did, forced delivery would be effect in effect on that job.
• Settings for forced delivery apply to all Run Command On Workstation and Share Package On Server jobs at target sites where forced delivery is enabled. Forced delivery does not affect Remove Package From Server jobs or System jobs.

1. At the site server of the site where you want to set forced delivery, start the Windows NT Registry Editor.

2. Open the following key under the HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE subtree:

         \SOFTWARE\Microsoft\SMS\Components\SMS_Despooler
   

3. Turn on forced delivery by setting Use Forced Disconnect to 1.

   Use Forced Disconnect enables you to turn forced delivery on or off for the site. Note that 0 (zero) is off and 1 (or any other non-zero value) is on.

4. Set the number of retries after which the Despooler forces the package delivery by setting Number Of Retries Before Forced Disconnection.

   Number Of Retries Before Forced Disconnection enables you to specify the number of times after which the Despooler will force user to disconnect from the package directory and then update the package files. This value specifies the number of retries. The default is 12.

5. Set the number of minutes after which the Despooler forces all users to disconnect from the package directory by setting Forced Disconnection Delay In Minutes.

   Forced Disconnection Delay In Minutes enables you to specify the number of minutes after which the Despooler will force all users to disconnect from the package directory. The default is 5.

6. To force the Despooler to use the new settings, use the Systems Management Server Service Manager to pause and continue the SMS_DESPOOLER component.

Calculating the Forced Delivery Time

Use the following formula to calculate how much time will elapse after the first failed attempt to update a package directory on a distribution server:

   ForceDeliveryTime = (x * (y + 1))+ z
   x = Despooler Retry Interval
   y = Number Of Retries Before Forced Disconnection
   z = Forced Disconnection Delay In Minutes

   Response     Retry Interval(Minutes)
   ------------------------------------
   Very Fast     24
   Fast         120
   Medium       360
   Slow         720

   Use Forced Disconnect equal to 1.
   Number Of Retries Before Forced Disconnection equal to 10.
   Forced Disconnection Delay In Minutes equal to 5.