SMS: The Accumulation of .ddr Files on Secondary Site Servers (281718)

MORE INFORMATION

As more clients are discovered and assigned to a secondary site, .ddr files can accumulate in the X:\Sms\Inboxes\Ddm.box\Data.col folder [where X is the logical drive on which you have installed Microsoft Systems Management Server (SMS)].

Every .ddr file represents a saved copy of the discovery data for a client workstation that has been assigned to the site. The .ddr file names correspond to the computer resource ID's (identification). In addition, the contents of the .ddr files correspond to the computer properties as displayed in the SMS Administrator console. The respective .ddr files are updated every time one of the discovery methods configured at the site level returns a discovery record.

The accumulation of .ddr files in the X:\Sms\Inboxes\Ddm.box\Data.col folder in a secondary site server is by design. Similar to a primary site server, the secondary site server needs to retain a copy of the discovery records for all computers that are assigned to the site. Since the secondary site does not utilize a local SQL database in which to store this information, the discovery records are stored in the Data.col directory.

When discovery records are processed at a parent site, and if the resource that has produced the discovery record is assigned to a secondary site, the discovery records are replicated down the hierarchy to the secondary site server as .pdr files. The secondary site server recognizes the file extension as a .ddr that has already been processed by the parent site. The .pdr files are then stored or updated in the Data.col directory as .ddr files.

For further information, please refer to Chapter 17, "Site Server Core Components Flow Charts", page 455 of the SMS 2.0 Resource Guide.