SMS: SMS Event 336 with a Large Number of Sites

• Microsoft Systems Management Server, versions 1.0, 1.1, and 1.2

SYMPTOMS

Systems Management Server Event 336, "Cannot read Site Control file for site X from database SQL Server Y" is produced on a primary site where large numbers of Systems Management Server addresses exist.

CAUSE

An image of the site control file Sitectrl.ct0 is stored in the Systems Management Server database. Currently, the maximum size of this image that can be read from or written to the database, is set by Systems Management Server to 256 KB. This allows for an approximate maximum of 1,100 sites to exist in a Systems Management Server hierarchy.

Attempting to add an address for a new site that already has this approximate number of addresses defined causes the Systems Management Server Hierarchy Manager to produce event 336. You can examine the size of the Sitectrl.ct0 file in the Site.srv\Sitecfg.box directory to determine if the Site Control image is approaching its size limit.

WORKAROUND

To work around this problem, obtain the hotfix mentioned below.

STATUS

Microsoft has confirmed this to be a problem in Systems Management Server versions 1.0, 1.1, and 1.2. A supported fix is now available for version 1.1 only, but has not been fully regression-tested and should be applied only to systems experiencing this specific problem. Unless you are severely impacted by this specific problem, Microsoft recommends that you wait for the next Service Pack that contains this fix. Contact Microsoft Technical Support for more information.

This problem was corrected in the latest Microsoft Systems Management Server 1.2 U.S. Service Pack. For information on obtaining the service pack, query on the following word in the Microsoft Knowledge Base (without the spaces):

   S E R V P A C K