WINS Fails to Converge (168076)

SYMPTOMS

All domain controllers register their domain name with <1c> as the sixteenth character of the NetBIOS name. For each domain, a domain name<1C> record will exist on a Windows Internet Name Service (WINS) server that contains a list of IP addresses of all the domain controllers in that domain.

When several domain controllers register the <1C> name with different WINS servers, a replication problem prevents the replication partners from having an entire list of IP addresses for this record. This may result in client logon problems or uneven load on the domain controllers.

NOTE: This problem happens only when different domain controllers, belonging to the same domain, register with different WINS servers, and the replication model is NOT a hub and spoke model.

CAUSE

By design, WINS cannot increment the version ID of a replica record (record owned by another WINS server). Only the owner of the record is allowed to increment the version ID of the record. A stalemate situation can occur where an updated replica <1C> record may not be replicated because of the above design rules.

MORE INFORMATION

Consider the following scenario:

WINS1 <--> WINS2 <--> WINS3 <--> WINS4

Primary Domain Controller (PDC) 1 - x.x.x.221
Backup Domain Controller (BDC) 1 - x.x.y.60

PDC registers with WINS1;
WINS1 now has:
domain<1c> version id 505,
contains ip x.x.x.221,
owner is wins1.
BDC registers with WINS4
WINS4 now has:
domain<1c> version id 254
contains ip x.x.y.60
owner is WINS4
WINS1 <--replicates with--->WINS2
both WINS1 and WINS2 now have:
domain<1c> version id 505
contains ip x.x.x.221
owner is WINS1
WINS2 <--replicates with --> WINS3
WINS1 WINS2 and WINS3 now have:
domain<1c> version id 505
contains ip x.x.x.221
owner is WINS1
WINS3 <-replicates-> WINS4
WINS4 now has :
domain<1c> newer version id 255 (or more)
contains: ip x.x.x.221;ip x.x.y.60;
owner WINS4

WINS3 now has:
domain<1c> SAME version id 505
contains: ip x.x.x.221;ip x.x.y.60;
owner WINS1
NOTE: Version number is not incremented for this record because this is a replica record and is owned by WINS1.
WINS2<--replicates with-->WINS3
domain<1c> record on WINS2 is not
updated containing only ip x.x.x.221

RESOLUTION

The resolution is to give ownership to the WINS Server that merges the <1c> record. In other words, a replication partner can take ownership for a 1C record, if it receives a replica 1C record from a second replication partner.

In the above scenario the behavior will be:

(Steps 1-4 are the same)

5. WINS3 <-replicates-> WINS4

WINS4 now has :
domain<1c> version id 255 (wins4's highest id number)
contains: ip x.x.x.221;ip x.x.y.60;
owner WINS4

WINS3 now has:
domain<1c> version id 2000(wins3's highest number)
contains: ip x.x.x.221;ip x.x.y.60;
****owner WINS3 <<<<<<NOTE

6. WINS2<--replicates with-->WINS3

WINS2 now has:
domain<1c> version id 442<<wins2's highest number>
contains ip x.x.x.221;ip x.x.y.60;
***owner WINS2 <<<<<<NOTE

7. WINS1<--replicates with-->WIN2

WINS1 now has:
domain<1c> version id 506 <WINS1's highest number at that time>
contains ip x.x.x.221;ip x.x.y.60;
owner WINS1

To resolve this problem, obtain the latest service pack for Windows NT 4.0 or Windows NT Server 4.0, Terminal Server Edition. For additional information, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

152734 How to Obtain the Latest Windows NT 4.0 Service Pack

STATUS

Microsoft has confirmed that this is a problem in Windows NT 4.0 and Windows NT Server 4.0, Terminal Server Edition. This problem was first corrected in Windows NT 4.0 Service Pack 4.0 and Windows NT Server 4.0, Terminal Server Edition Service Pack 4.

Microsoft has confirmed this to be a problem in Windows NT version 3.51. A supported fix is now available, 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.