SMS: Modifying ProviderForLocalSite Value in WBEM Causes MMC to Fail (268095)

SYMPTOMS

When you attempt to connect to the Systems Management Server 2.0 site via the Systems Management Server Administrator console, you may receive the following error message:

Connection Failed!

CAUSE

If the SMSProvider_Location value in the Repository is changed from TRUE to FALSE, this causes any Microsoft Management Console (MMC) snap-in that was created after the change to fail to connect. The MMC interprets the FALSE value as NO, therefore causing the connection to fail.

NOTE: Microsoft recommends that you avoid making manual changes to the values listed in ProviderForLocalSite. This article discusses a situation that can occur if this value is changed. Improperly modifying this value can cause a disruption of normal Systems Management Server operations.

WORKAROUND

On the Start menu, click Run.
Type wbemtest, and then click Connect.
In the Server\Namespace field, type \\servername\root\sms (where servername is the Windows NT name of your Systems Management Server Site server).
Click Login, click Enum classes, click Recursive, and then click OK.
Wait for a result (a list of data) and then scroll to the bottom of the result and double-click SMS_ProviderLocation.
Click the Instances option.

This brings up SMS_ProviderLocation.SiteCode=XXX (where XXX represents your site code).
Double-click ProviderForLocalSite, and change the Value from FALSE to TRUE.
Click Save Property, and then click Save Object until WBEMTEST closes.
Start the Systems Management Server Administrator console and attempt to connect
.

MORE INFORMATION

The Administrator console is hosted by the Microsoft Management Console (MMC), a framework for hosting management tools. A console file (that has an extension .msc) is used to define the contents of the MMC, and can be customized for particular tasks. The .msc file stores the location of the SMS Provider Server.

SMS Providers are Web-based enterprise management (WBEM) providers that act as intermediaries between CIMOM and one or more managed objects. When CIMOM receives a request from a management application for data that is not available from the CIMOM repository, or for notifications of events that CIMOM does not support, it forwards the request to a provider. Providers supply data and event notifications for managed objects that are specific to their particular domain.