SQL replication of the SMS database is not supported in SMS 2003 or in SMS 2.0 (289110)

SUMMARY

In Microsoft Systems Management Server (SMS), on a computer that is running Microsoft SQL Server, you can perform the replication of user databases by using the SQL Replication feature. However, the implementation of SQL Replication that is using the SMS database is not supported by Microsoft Product Support Services.

Note Microsoft Systems Management Server 2003 does support SQL replication of the management point tables and server locator point tables. To identify which tables must be replicated for these two roles, run the following queries in SQL Server against the SMS database:

Select ObjectName from ReplicatedObjects where SiteSystemType = 'MP' Select ObjectName from ReplicatedObjects where SiteSystemType = 'SLP'

The SMS 2003 startup disk has a Visual Basic Script (VBScript) that is named "MpPublish.vbs." You can use this script to configure the management point table for replication. This script is located in the smssetup\bin\i386 folder.

MORE INFORMATION

Some types of SQL Replication alter the SMS Database to such a degree that normal operations cause errors. For example, some forms of SQL Replication insert a time stamp column in each table that is to be replicated. The new column includes the constraint that the column may not contain a NULL value. Because SMS does not include this column in its update procedures when it inserts rows into tables, SMS attempts to insert a NULL value in this column, which produces an error and which stops the rows from being inserted. Additionally, SQL publishing will add a column named "msrepl_synctran_ts" to each table.

You can view these errors in the SMS component logs when Discovery records, Status Messages, Inventory records and other updates to the database occur. Consequently, further updates to these components are not successful.

In addition, you may be unable to apply SMS service packs because of the database modifications.

To recover from this problem, disable replication of the SMS Database, and restore the database from a backup copy that does not contain the additional column. You may want to reinstall the site in some instances.