The Assignments Are Not Mandatory Over Slow Links Option Does Not Work as Expected (246863)


The information in this article applies to:

  • Microsoft Systems Management Server 2.0
This article was previously published under Q246863

SYMPTOMS

When you use the Assignments are not mandatory over slow links option in an advertisement's properties, some or all of the following symptoms may occur:
  • When there is a high-speed connection to the client access point (CAP) and a slow link to the distribution point, the Slownet utility evaluates the network speed against the high-speed connection to the CAP and assigns the advertisement. The advertisement then runs against the distribution point over the slow link.
  • When there is a slow link to the CAP and a fast link to the distribution point, the Slownet utility evaluates the link speed to the CAP, and the advertisement is not assigned even though the link speed to the distribution point may be fast.
  • If a client is assigned to multiple sites, the advertisement may not be assigned in spite of a fast link to the CAP and the distribution point for the site from which the advertisement originated, which indicates that a slow link is detected.
  • If a site server has been rebuilt with a new site code and the clients still have the old site in the site list, advertisements may not be assigned due to slow link detection in spite of a fast link to the new site.

CAUSE

This behavior is caused by the slow-link detection method used on the Microsoft Systems Management Server (SMS) client. The SMS client uses an algorithm to evaluate the link speed to the CAP for the first site in its site list. Then it uses the results to determine whether an assignment should occur in spite of the link speed to the selected distribution point.

In addition, since the client only checks the link speed to the CAP in the first site from its site list, a detected slow link to the CAP effectively blocks assignment for other sites to which the client has a fast connection. Also, if the CAP that the client attempts to use for slow-link detection is offline or unavailable, the slow-link detection algorithm reports that the link speed is slow and blocks the assignment.

RESOLUTION

To resolve this problem, obtain the latest service pack for Systems Management Server version 2.0. For additional information, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

288239 SMS: How to Obtain the Latest Systems Management Server 2.0 Service Pack

WORKAROUND

To work around this behavior, use any of the following methods:
  • Use collections to control the targeted resources for a given advertisement rather than the Slow-link detection option.
  • Build additional logic into the package itself to prevent excessive traffic over a slow link.
  • Use the Slownet2.exe utility to obtain, test, or set the Slownet threshold speed on the client.

STATUS

Microsoft has confirmed that this is a problem in the Microsoft products that are listed at the beginning of this article. This problem was first corrected in Systems Management Server 2.0 Service Pack 3.

MORE INFORMATION

The Slownet2 Command Line Utility

Description:

The Slownet2 utility expands the capability of the original Slownet utility by enabling a user to obtain, set, and delete a slow network threshold setting for a client. This setting overrides any per-site setting that is configured based upon a client's site membership.

The Slow Network Threshold Speed registry value name is placed in the following registry key.

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\Sms\Client\Configuration\Client Properties

Usage:

SlowNet2 [UNC destination path | GetThreshold | SetThreshold | DelThreshold] ([required speed | 0 for Remote Access Service (RAS) check only]) (/v)

Parameters:

[UNC destination path | GetThreshold | SetThreshold | DelThreshold] must be specified.

  • UNC destination path - the universal naming convention (UNC) path whose speed is to be tested. A connection must be established for this path prior to starting the utility.
  • GetThreshold - query and display the current value of the Slow Network Threshold Speed value name.
  • SetThreshold - use the value specified in param2 as the new threshold. If the Slow Network Threshold Speed value name does not exist in the registry, it is created.
  • DelThreshold - if the Slow Network Threshold Speed value name exists in the registry, it is deleted.
  • ([required speed | 0 for RAS check only]) must be specified for SetThreshold only. If the value is 0 and RemotePath is specified, the utility only performs a RAS connection check. If found, an exit code of 1 is returned, which indicates a slow link. If only RemotePath is specified, the link speed is tested against the utility's default speed of 40,000 bps.
  • (/v) is Optional Verbose mode.
If specified, the utility displays a trace of its actions and results.

Returns:

0 for success or fast (if testing link speed). 1 for unsuccessful or slow (if testing link speed).

Modification Type:MinorLast Reviewed:1/15/2006
Keywords:kbHotfixServer kbQFE kbBug kbenv kbfix kbsms200preSP3fix KB246863
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