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Contents
Overview 1
Introduction to MMS Troubleshooting 2
Troubleshooting Management Agents 9
Troubleshooting Join Errors 13
Troubleshooting Attribute Flow 15
Best Practices 17
Lab A: Troubleshooting MMS 18
Review 19

Module 12: Introduction
to Troubleshooting
MMS

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Overview
!
Introduction to MMS Troubleshooting
!

Troubleshooting Management Agents
!
Troubleshooting Join Errors
!
Troubleshooting Attribute Flow
!
Best Practices


Troubleshooting Microsoft Metadirectory Services (MMS) version 2.2 is an
important task for administrators. To effectively troubleshoot MMS, you must
accomplish two goals: recognize error conditions and implement corrective
measures. The first step to effective troubleshooting is recognizing that there is
a problem and then accurately diagnosing that problem. After the error is
identified, you must take the appropriate steps to remedy the error condition.
After you become familiar with the MMS troubleshooting methodology, and
the available troubleshooting tools, you will be able to keep your MMS
implementation running with minimal periods of downtime.
After completing this module, you will be able to:
!
Describe and apply the MMS troubleshooting methodology.
!
Use the MMS server logs and diagnostic tools to troubleshoot MMS.
!
Describe and resolve management agent errors.
!
Describe and resolve join errors.
!
Describe and resolve attribute flow errors.
!

Apply best practices when troubleshooting MMS.


Topic Objective
To provide an overview of
the module topics and
objectives.
Lead-in
In this module, you will learn
about troubleshooting MMS.
This includes the MMS
troubleshooting
methodology, the available
tools, and the specific types
of errors you will see.
2 Module 12: Introduction to Troubleshooting MMS

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#
##
#

Introduction to MMS Troubleshooting
!
MMS Troubleshooting Methodology
!
Examining MMS Log Files
!
Using Diagnostic Tools



MMS troubleshooting is the process of systematically eliminating all of the
potential causes for an error condition in the MMS implementation. During this
process of elimination, two things will occur: your testing will reveal the cause
of the error, or as a result of successfully testing all of the potential errors, you
will broaden the scope of your testing.
To successfully troubleshoot errors in MMS, you must understand the
following:
!
How to apply the MMS troubleshooting methodology.
!
How to interpret server log data.
!
How to use the MMS diagnostic tools.

Slide Objective
To introduce the MMS
troubleshooting
methodology, as well as the
tools used in
troubleshooting MMS.
Lead-in
MMS troubleshooting is the
process of systematically
eliminating all of the
potential causes for an error
condition in the MMS
implementation.
Module 12: Introduction to Troubleshooting MMS 3


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MMS Troubleshooting Methodology
Check the
sources database
to ensure the
attribute exists
and contains data
Check the
sources database
to ensure the
attribute exists
and contains data
Verify that the
attribute is in the
import file and that
it is being flowed
into the metaverse
Verify that the
attribute is in the
import file and that
it is being flowed
into the metaverse
Confirm the
attribute flow
rules are
configured
correctly
Confirm the

attribute flow
rules are
configured
correctly
Verify that the MA
recognizes the
attribute
Verify that the MA
recognizes the
attribute
Verify that the
entries in the
connector
namespace are
properly joined to
the entries in the
metaverse
Verify that the
entries in the
connector
namespace are
properly joined to
the entries in the
metaverse
Verify that the
attribute exists in
the create file
Verify that the
attribute exists in
the create file



To successfully troubleshoot MMS, you must apply a consistent methodology
to accurately diagnose the error condition. To effectively troubleshoot MMS,
you must answer the following question: At what phase in the MMS process is
the error occurring? The phases of the MMS process map to the following
components of the MMS architecture:
!
Management agents
!
Attribute flow rules
!
Join criteria
To determine where in the MMS process the error is occurring, you can apply
the “follow the data” troubleshooting methodology.
Follow the Data
If the error is that some object, or attribute is not being successfully updated,
either in the metaverse namespace, or the connected directory, you can isolate
the point at which the error is occurring by following the data through the MMS
process. After you have isolated the point in the MMS process in which the
error is occurring, you can then apply the appropriate troubleshooting tool to
identify the error.
Topic Objective
To introduce the MMS
troubleshooting
methodology.
Lead-in
To successfully troubleshoot
MMS, you must apply a
consistent methodology to

accurately diagnose the
error condition.
4 Module 12: Introduction to Troubleshooting MMS

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The follow-the-data methodology is illustrated in the following scenario:
You are trying to connect a Human Resources database and a Microsoft
Exchange 5.5 organization. You are trying to update the department attribute in
Exchange with the value contained in the department attribute in the Human
Resources database, but when performing attribute flow, the department
attribute in Exchange is not being updated. To apply the follow the data
troubleshooting methodology, you would do the following:
1. Check the Human Resources database to verify that the department attribute
exists and contains data.
2. Confirm that the attribute flow rules are configured correctly.
3. After running the management agent for the Human Resources database,
verify that the department attribute is in the import file and that the attribute
is being flowed into the metaverse namespace. If it is not in the import file
or is not being flowed into the metaverse, examine the appropriate
management agent templates.
4. Verify that the management agent for Exchange recognizes the department
attribute. If it does not, modify the appropriate management agent template.
5. Verify that the entries in the connector namespace are properly joined to the
entries in the metaverse namespace.
6. Run the management agent for Exchange. Verify that the department
attribute exists in the create file. If it does not, modify the appropriate
management agent template.

This is a simple example of how to apply the follow the data troubleshooting

methodology. You first need to identify the error and then, given a complete
understanding of how data flows through MMS, you can follow the data,
checking for problems at each stage in the data flow process.
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Examining MMS Log Files
There are three server logs used for troubleshooting:
!
GENLOGS - contains a comprehensive log of all activity
that affects the directory database.
!
GENLOGS.X – the roll-over server log, displays the
previous GENLOGS backup file.
!
ZSCRIPT - shows what scripts were run, when they were
run, and the results of those operations


The MMS server regularly produces logs of the activities that occur on the
server. These logs produce data that is useful when troubleshooting MMS.
There are three server logs that you can view:
!
GENLOGS. This log displays the server's main log. GENLOGS contains a
comprehensive log of all activity that affects the directory database.
!
GENLOGS.X (roll-over server log). This log displays the previous
GENLOGS backup file, which is created when the log is cleared (reset) and
a new one is started.

!
ZSCRIPT. This log displays the ZScript interpreter's log. The Zscript log
does not contain the activity of any particular script. Rather, this log shows
what scripts were run, when they were run, and the results of those
operations.

Modifying Logging Levels
In troubleshooting MMS you might find the default amount of detailed
information in the log files insufficient. However, you can configure the level
of detail provided by the log by modifying the logging level. The higher the
logging level, the more detail contained in the logs. To configure the logging
level, perform the following steps:
1. Open the MMS Server interface.
2. From the Tools menu, click Options.
3. On the Log Files tab, choose a logging level from 0 to 9.

Topic Objective
To describe the three MMS
server logs and how to
modify the logging levels.
Lead-in
The MMS server regularly
produces logs of the
activities that occur on the
server.
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Viewing the Log Files

You can display the GENLOGS and the ZSCRIPT logs by right-clicking the
entry for the MMS server in the directory pane of MMS Compass, clicking
Properties, and then displaying the Server Logs tab. The Server Logs tab
contains a tab for each of the logs.
On any server log tab, you can right-click within the log itself to display a menu
that enables you to refresh, search, and move through the log. In addition, you
can save the current log to a file by clicking the button to the left of the log
file’s path, and then specifying a name and location for the file.

All MMS logging activity is maintained in text files in the
\zoomserv\data\logs folder.

Understanding Log File Contents
Each entry in the server log files starts with an entry identifier. The following
types of entries might be written to the log file:
!
DBG_. These are general debug messages.
!
WRN_. These are warning messages.
!
ERR_. These indicate errors, such as errors in accessing the database.
!
FAT_. These are fatal exceptions.

Changing the LDAP Tracing Level
In addition to the entries generated by database activity, the GENLOGS may
also contain Lightweight Directory Access Protocol (LDAP) tracing events.
LDAP tracing events identify the connections that are attempted by LDAP
clients and are useful when troubleshooting server connectivity errors. While
LDAP tracing events are written to the GENLOGS, the detail level for these

types of events is controlled by a setting on the LDAP Tracing tab in the MMS
Server Options dialog box. Changing the LDAP tracing level will not affect
currently connected clients.
To change the LDAP tracing level for connected clients, perform the following
steps:
1. Right-click the appropriate connection in the MMS Server interface
2. Click Properties.
3. On the LDAP Tracing tab, set the tracing level from 0 to 99

Tip
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Using Diagnostic Tools
There are two MMS diagnostic tools for troubleshooting:
!
Zerrcode.exe - a command-line utility that returns a
description of an MMS error code.
!
ViaTranRpt.exe - a command-line utility that generates a
report containing the contents of the transaction stack
database.


There are two diagnostic tools included with MMS. You can use the following
tools to diagnose error conditions:
!
Zerrcode.exe. This is a command-line utility that returns a description of an
MMS error code.

!
ViaTranRpt.exe. This utility generates a report containing the contents of
the transaction stack database.

Using Zerrcode.exe
The zerrcode.exe program, which is located in the \Zoomserv\Bin directory,
returns a description of the error message number displayed by MMS. To see
the description of an error message, type:
Zerrcode.exe xxxx
Where xxxx is the error message number for which you want a description.
Topic Objective
To describe the diagnostic
tools included with MMS
that are useful for
troubleshooting.
Lead-in
There are two diagnostic
tools included with MMS
that you can use to
diagnose error conditions.
8 Module 12: Introduction to Troubleshooting MMS

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Using ViaTranRpt.exe
The \Zoomserv\Data\Db directory contains a series of VIATran.* files, which
comprise the transaction stack database. The transaction stack database details
the operations that are performed on the database and its index files.
You can run VIATranRpt.exe, which is located in the \Zoomserv\Bin directory,
to generate a report displaying the contents of the transaction stack database, or

to export its contents to a flat sequential file or to another program for analysis.
You can run VIATranRpt.exe with any or all of the following switches:
!
-startrec #. Sets the record number where you want reporting to begin.
Records are numbered from zero, with zero as the default.
!
-starttime yyyymmdd[hhmm[ss]]. Sets the timestamp of the record where
you want reporting to begin. This switch and startrec are mutually exclusive.
You can type the time stamp as a date (yyyymmdd) or date and time
(hhmm). Seconds are optional.
!
-numrecs #. Sets the number of records to report. The default is zero.
!
-brief. Produces a high-level report without details of attribute changes.

By default, ViaTranRpt.exe displays its output to the screen. To better
troubleshoot MMS it is recommended that you redirect its output to a file. Type
the following to port the transaction report to a text file named tranfile.txt:
viatranrpt -numrecs 100 > tranfile.txt

Module 12: Introduction to Troubleshooting MMS 9

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#
##
#

Troubleshooting Management Agents
!

Management Agent Connectivity Errors
!
Common Management Agent Errors


Since management agents are responsible for managing the flow of data
between the connected directory and the metaverse namespace, there is a high
probability for errors to be found in this component of the MMS process.
Some management agent errors are related to connectivity. These errors are
either caused by the inability to connect to the external directory, or by not
having the necessary permissions to interact with the directory. Other
management agent errors occur when the properly configured management
agent is run.

Topic Objective
To introduce the topic of
troubleshooting
management agents.
Lead-in
Since management agents
are responsible for
managing the flow of data
between the connected
directory and the metaverse
namespace, there is a high
probability for errors to be
found in this component of
the MMS process.
10 Module 12: Introduction to Troubleshooting MMS


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Management Agent Connectivity Errors
!
Network connectivity errors
$
May be caused by specifying an incorrect server name
when configuring the management agent.
$
Resolution: verify connectivity to the server hosting the
external directory.
!
Security-related connectivity errors
$
May be caused by an invalid account name used to
connect to the server that holds the external directory.
$
Resolution: create an account on the external directory
that MMS will use when operating against that directory.


Management agent connectivity errors are those errors that cause the
management agent to fail when connecting to an external directory.
Troubleshooting these types of errors requires an understanding of both the
configuration of the particular management agent, that is, what type of
information must you supply to connect to the external directory, and what are
the security requirements of the external directory.
Connectivity errors will be reported in the Operator’s log and are generally one
of two types:
!

Network connectivity errors. Specifying an incorrect server name when
configuring the management agent usually causes network connectivity
errors. To resolve these types of errors, confirm that you do have network
connectivity to the server that holds the external directory.
!
Security-related connectivity errors. Most management agents require you
to specify an account to be used when connecting to the server that holds the
external directory. Determining which account to use depends on the
external directory. It may be necessary to have the administrator of the
external directory create an account that MMS will use when operating
against the external directory.


Topic Objective
To describe the two types of
management agent
connectivity errors.
Lead-in
Management agent
connectivity errors are those
errors that cause the
management agent to fail
when connecting to an
external directory.
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Common Management Agent Errors
!

Index Duplication Errors
$
Occurs when the management agent attempts to write to the $mail
attribute with a value that already exists in the directory.
$
Resolution: Search the metaverse for this user. If they exist, join the
connector to the metaverse entry. If they do not exist, remove
$cs.mail = $cd.mail from the Connector Space construction
templates.
!
DS_RC_PARENT_NOT_EXIST Errors
$
Occurs when you are trying to process users without processing the
parent containers.
$
Resolution: one of three methods:
• Modify the Control Script to add the –addparent switch
• Import the required structure before trying to import the users
• Manually create the required structure prior to importing the users


There are some common management agent errors to be aware of when
troubleshooting MMS. These include:
!
Index Duplication Errors
!
DS_RC_PARENT_NOT_EXIST Errors
You can analyze the server log data and apply the troubleshooting methodology
to resolve these errors.
Resolving Index Duplication Errors

An index duplication error (14105) will be reported in the logs when the
Management Agent attempts to write to the $mail attribute with a value that
already exists in the directory.
To resolve this error, identify a user where this error was reported in the logs.
Take the Simple Mail Transfer Protocol (SMTP) or e-Mail address of that user
and search the metaverse to locate that user. If an existing user is found, you
will not be able to create a new user in the Metaverse with the same e-mail
address. This will usually be caused by two entries for the same person and
joining the connector to the metaverse entry would be the correct solution.
Topic Objective
To describe the two
common management
agent errors.
Lead-in
There are some common
management agent errors to
be aware of when
troubleshooting MMS.
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If the search of the Metaverse reveals that there are no users with this e-mail
address, you can examine your Custom Management Agent templates for the
problem. You may have assigned the mail attribute twice in the templates,
which could happen if you first assign $cs.mail = $cd.mail in the Connector
Space construction templates and then constructed $mv.mail = $cs.mail or
$mv.mail =$cd.mail in the Metaverse construction templates. The $mail
attribute can only be assigned once in the entire directory, Connector Space,
and Metaverse, and must remain unique to avoid the 14105 error. It is not

necessary to populate the connector namespace with the $mail attribute, the
solution is to remove $cs.mail = $cd.mail from the Connector Space
construction templates.
Resolving DS_RC_PARENT_NOT_EXIST Errors
When running a management, the following error message appears in the
management agent’s log file:
Error 19086: DS_RC_PARENT_NOT_EXIST
Each user that the management agent attempts to import as a connector is not
imported and causes error code 19086.
This error can occur if you are trying to process users without processing the
parent containers. When you import a user, the management agent uses the
distinguished name (DN) of the user and tries to import the user into a
hierarchical structure in the connector space. The management agent will
attempt to place the user below the parent container. If that parent container has
not been created, the connector creation does not succeed.
To resolve this error, use one of the following methods:
Method 1: Modify the Control Script to add the –addparent Switch
1. In the Compass utility, select the management agent.
2. On the Action pane, click Design MA.
3. Under Control MA Operations, click the MA Control Script tab.
4. Find the following text:
echo Synchronizing Metadirectory Users
5. Add the -addparent switch to the end of the EXECUTE command line.
6. Click OK.
7. Run the management agent.

Method 2: Import the required structure before trying to import the users.
On the operational settings tab of the management agent, ensure that you are
processing the organizing structure prior to importing the users.


The exact setting used will vary depending on the particular management
agent.

Method 3: Manually create the required structure prior to importing the users.
Using MMS Compass, manually create the required parent objects prior to
importing the users.
Note
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Troubleshooting Join Errors
!
No Unique Proposal Errors
$
Occurs when you attempt a join and a large number of entries are
not being joined and you receive a large number of no unique
proposal messages in the Operator’s log.
$
Resolution: one of two methods:
•Verify that your join criterion is correct.
•Verify that your join criterion is specific enough.
!
Incorrectly Joined Entry Errors
$
Occurs when entries are being joined that should not be joined.
$
Resolution: include additional attributes in your join to uniquely
identify the directory object.



Join errors are relatively easy to troubleshoot and generally fall into one of two
types:
!
Entries are not being joined and a message stating the there is no unique
proposal for a large number of entries is being reported in the Operator’s log
when a join is attempted.
!
Entries that should not be joined are being joined.

Resolving No Unique Proposal Errors
If you attempt a join and receive a large number of no unique proposal
messages in the Operator’s log, you can resolve the problem by doing one of
the following:
!
Verify that your join criterion is correct. If you attempt to perform a join
based on attributes that do not exist or that exist but do not contain data,
your join will fail. To determine is this is the problem, increase the logging
level when operating the management agent to level 3. At this level, a
message will be written to the log that indicates that your join criteria
resolves to empty if the attributes either do not exist or do not contain any
data. To resolve this error, ensure that you are using valid attributes for your
join criteria.
!
Verify that your join criterion is specific enough. If your join criterion is too
general, for example, attempting to join entries based only on an entry’s
surname ($sn) may not be specific enough. When determining your join
criterion, try to identify an attribute that is unique to each entry. Employee
identification numbers or government identification numbers are usually
good candidates.

Topic Objective
To introduce the concept of
troubleshooting join errors
Lead-in
Join errors are relatively
easy to troubleshoot and
generally fall into one of two
types: entries not being
joined, and entries that are
incorrectly joined.
14 Module 12: Introduction to Troubleshooting MMS

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Resolving Incorrectly Joined Entry Errors
If entries are being joined that should not be joined the join criterion you
specified is too generic. For example, if there are two or more employees
named John Smith in your organization and you use $cn and $sn as your sole
join criterion, all of the entries for John Smith will be joined.
In order to correctly join these similar user directory objects, you must include
in your join criteria additional attributes that uniquely identifies the entry. For
example, by combining the common name and the office telephone number
attributes, you increase the probability of correctly joining the entries. The trick
to accomplishing this is to identify attribute values that uniquely identify the
object, and are shared across the connected directories.

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Troubleshooting Attribute Flow
!
Attributes flowing in the wrong direction
$
Occurs when an attribute that you want to be authoritative is being
updated by the same attribute in another directory.
$
Verify that the attribute flow rules are configured to flow the attribute
in question to the metaverse namespace.
$
Verify that the attribute flow rules are configured to flow the attribute
in question from the metaverse namespace to the connector
namespace.
!
No attribute flow
$
Occurs when attributes are not updating at all.
$
Verify that entries are properly joined.
$
Verify that the attribute flow rules are configured properly.
$
Verify that the output templates are configured properly.


Problems with attribute flow generally involve one of two types of errors.
These errors are:
!
Attributes flowing in the wrong direction.

!
No attribute flow.

Troubleshooting Attribute Flow in the Wrong Direction
Attribute flow in the wrong direction means that an attribute that you want to be
authoritative, for example the telephone number in a Human Resources
database, is being updated by the same attribute in another directory, for
example an Active Directory implementation. This type of error is usually
caused by an incorrect configuration of the attribute flow rules. To resolve this
problem perform the following procedure:
1. Examine the attribute flow rules for the management agent that is
responsible for the directory that contains the authoritative attribute. Verify
that the attribute flow rules are configured to flow the attribute in question
to the metaverse namespace.
2. Examine the attribute flow rules for the management agents that are
responsible for the directories that are to receive this attribute. Verify that
the attribute flow rules are configured to flow the attribute in question from
the metaverse namespace to the connector namespace.

Topic Objective
To introduce the concept of
troubleshooting attribute
flow errors.
Lead-in
Problems with attribute flow
generally involve one of two
types of errors. These errors
are: Attributes flowing in the
wrong direction, and
attributes that don’t flow at

all.
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If after performing the above procedure, the attribute is still flowing in the
wrong direction, you should examine the output templates for the management
agent that is responsible for the directory that is receiving the incorrect attribute
flow. If the template is written incorrectly, attribute flow may still occur in the
wrong direction even though the attribute flow rules are correct. For example,
the output template contains the following:
TelephoneNumber: $mv.telephoneNumber

This entry will cause the TelephoneNumber in the connected directory to be
updated by the attribute value in the metaverse namespace. To resolve this
problem, modify the output template to contain the following:
TelephoneNumber: $cd.telephoneNumber

Troubleshooting No Attribute Flow
If no attribute flow is occurring, check the following:
!
Verify that entries are properly joined. Recall that attribute flow will not
occur if entries are not joined.
!
Verify that the attribute flow rules are configured properly. A common error
is assuming that attribute flow rules do not need to be configured for the
first directory that is reflected into the metaverse namespace. Although any
attributes that currently exist in the metaverse namespace will be flowed to
connected directories, if you do not configure attribute flow rules to flow the
required attributes from the first connected directory into the metaverse, any

changes made to the attribute values in the connected directory will not be
flowed into the metaverse and as such, will not be flowed to the other
connected directories.
!
Verify that the output templates are configured to construct the attributes
that you want to flow to the connected directory. If the output templates do
not construct the required attributes, the attributes will not be updated in the
connected directories.

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Best Practices
!
“Follow the data” from source directory, through the
MMS process, to identify the source of the error.
!
Maintain communication with external directories to
keep track of changes that can affect MMS.
!
Run daily backups of your MMS data using VIABackup.
!
Run VIACompact on a regular basis.
!
Check GENLOGS on a regular basis.


The following list represents the best practices for troubleshooting MMS:
!

When you encounter problems, identify a single test user that represents
your issue. Following that user from source to destination will help you
identify where the problem occurs.
!
Communicate with the network administrators and the administrators of any
connected directories. MMS interacts with many connected directories, and
events such as password changes, and network outages, could all cause
problems for MMS.
!
Document your work and use VIABackup daily. Most problems occur
during a configuration change and having changes documented will help in
the troubleshooting process. Daily backups ensure that you can roll back to
a known good configuration.
!
Run ViaCompact to maintain the health of the database.
!
Check your GENLOGS on a regular basis to monitor the server’s health.

Topic Objective
To describe the best
practices for troubleshooting
MMS.
Lead-in
The following list represents
the best practices for
troubleshooting MMS.
18 Module 12: Introduction to Troubleshooting MMS

BETA MATERIALS FOR MICROSOFT CERTIFIED TRAINER PREPARATION PURPOSES ONLY


Lab A: Troubleshooting MMS


Lab.doc
Topic Objective
To introduce the lab.
Lead-in
In this lab, you will
Explain the lab objectives.

Module 12: Introduction to Troubleshooting MMS 19

BETA MATERIALS FOR MICROSOFT CERTIFIED TRAINER PREPARATION PURPOSES ONLY

Review
!
Introduction to MMS Troubleshooting
!
Troubleshooting Management Agents
!
Troubleshooting Join Errors
!
Troubleshooting Attribute Flow
!
Best Practices


1. What is the basic principle of the MMS troubleshooting methodology, and
how do you apply this principle?
The basic principle to the MMS troubleshooting methodology is to

“follow the data.” This applied by tracing the directory object from the
source directory, through the MMS process until you have identified
the component of the MMS process in which the error is occurring.


2. While troubleshooting a management agent error in MMS, you discover an
entry in the server log that starts with the identifier ERR_14105. What is
this significance of this entry, and how can you diagnose the situation?
Entries that are preceded by ERR_ in the server logs are error
messages. If you are unfamiliar with the specific error message
displayed in the log, you can use the Zerrcode.exe command-line utility
to view a description of the error by entering the error code number.


Topic Objective
To reinforce module
objectives by reviewing key
points.
Lead-in
The review questions cover
some of the key concepts
taught in the module.

20 Module 12: Introduction to Troubleshooting MMS

BETA MATERIALS FOR MICROSOFT CERTIFIED TRAINER PREPARATION PURPOSES ONLY

3. When attempting to join the HR database with the metaverse namespace
you notice that a certain group of entries are not being added to the
namespace. You check the server log and identify the following error code:

Error 19086: DS_RC_PARENT_NOT_EXIST
What is the nature of this error and what are two methods for resolving it?
Error 19086 occurs when you attempt to join entries to the metaverse
namespace without their parent container. There are three methods for
resolving this error. The first is to add the –addparent switch to the
Control Script. The second is to import the required structure before
trying to import the users. The third is to manually create the required
structure prior to importing the users.

4. After joining an external directory to the metaverse namespace, you
discover a large percentage of entries that did not match. Before starting the
laborious task of manually joining each of these entries, what
troubleshooting step can you take to improve the success of the join?
It may be that the default attribute used to perform the join is not
finding a unique match in the metaverse namespace. If this is the case,
look to include additional attributes in your join criteria to uniquely
identify the appropriate entry in the metaverse namespace. Attributes
such as social security number and employee identification number are
good candidates for expanding the join criteria.


5. In your MMS implementation, the HR database is intended to be the
authoritative directory for the office location attribute. After the Active
Directory management agent is run, this value is set to blank for all entries
in the metaverse namespace. What is the likely cause of this error, and how
would you resolve it?
This is most likely an attribute flow error; you can apply the follow-the-
data methodology to determine if this is the case. If it is determined to
be an attribute flow error, you should verify that your attribute flow
rules are properly configured. First examine the attribute floe rules for

the HR database, and make sure that it is configured to be
authoritative, and to flow this attribute into the metaverse namespace.
Next examine the attribute flow rules for the Active Directory
management agent and verify that it is configured to flow this attribute
to the Active Directory.


6. You have identified a management agent network connectivity error in your
MMS implementation. What is the best practice for determining whether the
error is caused by MMS or by the connected directory?
Before investing too many hours attempting to resolve the error from
within MMS, it is a good idea to contact the administrator of the
connected directory and determine whether there are any network or
system problems that are affecting the ability of the management agent
to connect to the other server. For this reason, it is wise to maintain a
list of the administrators who manage each of the connected directories
in your enterprise.

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