PENDING move DP role from primary site server to dedicated DP server

[kvncrr]

In a nut shell, I'm having distribution problems and I wonder if setting up a dedicated DP server would solve that. I can provide more details from logs, reports, and monitoring if it comes to that, but what I'm really looking for is a gut-instinct answer before getting deep into logs, etc. I have a primary site server with all typical roles except database/reporting and SUP which are their own dedicated servers. The primary site server is a DP and acts as the source DP for 800+ pull DP's in remote locations connected by site-to-site VPN. I wonder if the load of providing and verifying content for those pull DP's is too much. My CPU and memory usage on the primary site server are under 25% so there must be something else going on beside resources. The exact problem I'm working on which has lead to this deeper investigation is a package will not distribute to a pull DP and gives an error saying it's not on the source DP. When I try to distribute to the source DP, the wizard completes but nothing happens. The package does not distribute and does not appear under Success, In Progress, or Error in Monitoring / Content Status. It's like my action to distribute is totally ignored.

What do you think? Is it time I dedicate a DP server to offload distribution from the primary site server to the pull DP'S?

 

[Prajwal Desai]

You can always install MP role on one server and DP on another server. I would not worry about fixing Pull DP issues. Prior to that fixing issues with primary DP is important. You mentioned "When I try to distribute to the source DP, the wizard completes but nothing happens". What do you see in distmgr.log file ?. Even if you setup a new DP how will the content flow from primary DP when there are issues with primary DP ?.

 

[kvncrr]

I agree fixing issues with the primary DP is key right now. My question is whether I should uninstall the DP role from primary site server and install it on a new dedicated server. I'm not opposed to fixing it though. Just need some help

I distributed my package to primary DP again and observed the following in dismgr.log:

Adding package '00000147' to package processing queue.
Currently using 0 out of 10 allowed package processing threads.
Started package processing thread for package '00000147', thread ID = 0xE8C (3724)
STATMSG: ID=2304 SEV=I LEV=M SOURCE="SMS Server" COMP="SMS_DISTRIBUTION_MANAGER" SYS=sccm.domain.local SITE=000 PID=5792 TID=3724 GMTDATE=Wed Jan 23 16:11:13.185 2019 ISTR0="00000147" ISTR1="" ISTR2="" ISTR3="" ISTR4="" ISTR5="" ISTR6="" ISTR7="" ISTR8="" ISTR9="" NUMATTRS=1 AID0=400 AVAL0="00000147"
Retrying package 00000147 (SourceVersion:2;StoredVersion:2)
No action specified for the package 00000147, however there may be package server changes for this package.
Start deleting package 00000147 from server ["Display=\\sccm.domain.local\"]MSWNET:["SMS_SITE=000"]\\sccm.domain.local\...
Created DP processing thread 10112 for removal of package 00000147 on server ["Display=\\sccm.domain.local\"]MSWNET:["SMS_SITE=000"]\\sccm.domain.local\
Attempting to remove package 00000147 from distribution point ["Display=\\sccm.domain.local\"]MSWNET:["SMS_SITE=000"]\\sccm.domain.local\
Start adding package 00000147 to server ["Display=\\remote1.domain.local\"]MSWNET:["SMS_SITE=000"]\\remote1.domain.local\...
Created DP processing thread 2692 for addition or update of package 00000147 on server ["Display=\\remote1.domain.local\"]MSWNET:["SMS_SITE=000"]\\remote1.domain.local\
DP Thread: Attempting to add or update package 00000147 on DP ["Display=\\remote1.domain.local\"]MSWNET:["SMS_SITE=000"]\\remote1.domain.local\
Start adding package 00000147 to server ["Display=\\remote2.domain.local\"]MSWNET:["SMS_SITE=000"]\\remote2.domain.local\...
Created DP processing thread 13840 for addition or update of package 00000147 on server ["Display=\\remote2.domain.local\"]MSWNET:["SMS_SITE=000"]\\remote2.domain.local\
The distribution point ["Display=\\remote1.domain.local\"]MSWNET:["SMS_SITE=000"]\\remote1.domain.local\ is not installed or upgraded yet.
Error occurred. Performing error cleanup prior to returning.
Start updating package 00000147 on server ["Display=\\remote3.domain.local\"]MSWNET:["SMS_SITE=000"]\\remote3.domain.local\...
Created DP processing thread 4060 for addition or update of package 00000147 on server ["Display=\\remote3.domain.local\"]MSWNET:["SMS_SITE=000"]\\remote3.domain.local\
Waiting for all DP threads to complete for package 00000147 processing thread.
DP Thread: Attempting to add or update package 00000147 on DP ["Display=\\remote3.domain.local\"]MSWNET:["SMS_SITE=000"]\\remote3.domain.local\
["Display=\\sccm.domain.local\"]MSWNET:["SMS_SITE=000"]\\sccm.domain.local\ doesn't have the package installed yet as no pkgstatus entry found
DP Thread: Attempting to add or update package 00000147 on DP ["Display=\\remote2.domain.local\"]MSWNET:["SMS_SITE=000"]\\remote2.domain.local\
The distribution point ["Display=\\remote3.domain.local\"]MSWNET:["SMS_SITE=000"]\\remote3.domain.local\ is not installed or upgraded yet.
Error occurred. Performing error cleanup prior to returning.
The distribution point ["Display=\\remote2.domain.local\"]MSWNET:["SMS_SITE=000"]\\remote2.domain.local\ is not installed or upgraded yet.
Error occurred. Performing error cleanup prior to returning.
Successfully removed the package 00000147 from server ["Display=\\sccm.domain.local\"]MSWNET:["SMS_SITE=000"]\\sccm.domain.local\
STATMSG: ID=2331 SEV=I LEV=M SOURCE="SMS Server" COMP="SMS_DISTRIBUTION_MANAGER" SYS=sccm.domain.local SITE=000 PID=5792 TID=10112 GMTDATE=Wed Jan 23 16:11:17.117 2019 ISTR0="00000147" ISTR1="["Display=\\sccm.domain.local\"]MSWNET:["SMS_SITE=000"]\\sccm.domain.local\" ISTR2="" ISTR3="" ISTR4="" ISTR5="" ISTR6="" ISTR7="" ISTR8="" ISTR9="" NUMATTRS=2 AID0=400 AVAL0="00000147" AID1=404 AVAL1="["Display=\\sccm.domain.local\"]MSWNET:["SMS_SITE=000"]\\sccm.domain.local\"
DP thread for package 00000147 with thread handle 0000000000000D9C and thread ID 10112 ended.
DP thread for package 00000147 with thread handle 00000000000048E8 and thread ID 2692 ended.
DP thread with ID 2692 failed to process DP action
DP thread for package 00000147 with thread handle 000000000000225C and thread ID 13840 ended.
DP thread with ID 13840 failed to process DP action
DP thread for package 00000147 with thread handle 0000000000000E00 and thread ID 4060 ended.
DP thread with ID 4060 failed to process DP action
All DP threads have completed for package 00000147 processing thread.
Package 00000147 does not have a preferred sender.
The package and/or program properties for package 00000147 have not changed,  need to determine which site(s) need updated package info.
CDistributionSrcSQL::UpdateAvailableVersion PackageID=00000147, Version=2, Status=2301
StoredPkgVersion (2) of package 00000147. StoredPkgVersion in database is 2.
SourceVersion (2) of package 00000147. SourceVersion in database is 2.
STATMSG: ID=2302 SEV=E LEV=M SOURCE="SMS Server" COMP="SMS_DISTRIBUTION_MANAGER" SYS=sccm.domain.local SITE=000 PID=5792 TID=3724 GMTDATE=Wed Jan 23 16:11:27.685 2019 ISTR0="MonthEnd - Create workstation RDP file" ISTR1="00000147" ISTR2="" ISTR3="" ISTR4="" ISTR5="" ISTR6="" ISTR7="" ISTR8="" ISTR9="" NUMATTRS=1 AID0=400 AVAL0="00000147"
Failed to process package 00000147 after 92 retries, will retry 8 more times
Exiting package processing thread for package 00000147.

The package in question is 00000147. You can see that distribution starts deleting from primary DP (sccm.domain.local) for some reason rather than distribute. Also, it looks like some pull DP's are trying to download from primary but fail. Thoughts?

 

[kvncrr]

Does anyone agree that off-loading the DP from the primary site server to a dedicated server in order to serve 850+ pull DP's is a good idea?

 

[Garth]

It is not a bad idea.