SNA Server 2.x IP Communication Fails w/15 Char Domain Names

ID: Q155884

The information in this article applies to:

Microsoft SNA Server, versions 2.1, 2.11, 2.11 SP1
on the following platforms: NT

SYMPTOMS

If you configured multiple SNA Servers in the same Microsoft Windows NT domain (in the case of version 2.11, the same SNA Server subdomain) but are separated by TCP/IP routers, the backup and member SNA Servers will not be able to locate the SNA Server primary configuration server if the Windows NT domain name is 15 characters long.

When you start SNA Server Admin on a backup SNA Server, you will get the following popup error message:

The Primary SNA Server for the domain is not active.
OK to attempt to open to a Backup SNA Server in read only mode?

This problem will occur with SNA Server 2.11 or 2.11.sp1 on any version of Windows NT (3.5, 3.51 or 4.0).

For additional information, please see the following article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

Q148969 Troubleshooting SNA Server Communication over an IP Router

CAUSE

The SnaBase service was not properly opening the correct mailslot name if the Windows NT domain name is 15 characters long.

RESOLUTION

See below for availability of an SNA Server fix for this problem. There is no workaround for the problem, except to change the Windows NT domain name to a name less than 15 characters.

STATUS

Microsoft has confirmed this to be a problem in Microsoft SNA Server version 2.11. This problem was corrected in the latest Microsoft SNA Server 2.11 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

Additional query words: prodsna

Keywords : kbnetwork snaadmin kbbug2.11 kbfix2.11.sp2
Version : WINDOWS:2.1,2.11,2.11 SP1
Platform : WINDOWS
Issue type :