Troubleshooting Active Directory Replication Problems
2009-07-04 00:12:46
Troubleshooting Active Directory Replication Problems
Updated: March 2, 2005
Active Directory replication problems can have several different sources. For example, Domain Name System (DNS) problems, networking issues, or security problems can all cause Active Directory replication to fail.
Inbound or outbound replication failure causes Active Directory objects that represent the replication topology, replication schedule, domain controllers, users, computers, passwords, security groups, group memberships, and Group Policy to be inconsistent between domain controllers. Directory inconsistency causes either operational failures or inconsistent results, depending on the domain controller that is contacted for the operation at hand. Active Directory depends on network connectivity, name resolution, authentication and authorization, the directory database, the replication topology, and the replication engine. When the root cause of a replication problem is not immediately obvious, determining the cause among the many possible causes requires systematic elimination of probable causes.
Event and Tool Solution RecommendationsIdeally, the red (Error) and yellow (Warning) events in the Directory Service event log suggest the specific constraint that is causing replication failure on the source or destination domain controller. If the event message suggests steps for a solution, try the steps listed in the event. The Repadmin tool and other diagnostic tools also provide information that can help you resolve replication failures. Ruling Out the ObviousSometimes replication errors occur because of intentional disruptions. For example, when you troubleshoot Active Directory replication problems, rule out intentional disconnections and hardware failures or upgrades first.
Intentional DisconnectionsIf replication errors are reported by a domain controller that is attempting replication with a domain controller that has been built in a staging site and is currently offline awaiting its deployment in the final production site (remote), you can account for those errors. To avoid separating a domain controller from the replication topology for extended periods, which causes continuous errors until the domain controller is reconnected, consider adding such computers initially as member servers and using the install-from-media method to install Active Directory. You can back up an up-to-date domain controller to removable media (CD/DVD or other media) and ship the media to the destination site. Then, you can use the media to promote the domain controllers at the site, without requiring replication. For more information about installing from media, see Installing a Domain Controller in an Existing Domain Using Restored Backup Media. Hardware Failures or UpgradesIf replication problems occur as a result of hardware failure (for example, failure of the motherboard, disk subsystem, or hard drive), notify the server owner so that the hardware problem can be resolved.
Periodic hardware upgrades can also cause domain controllers to be out of service. Ensure that your server owners have a good system of communicating such outages in advance. Correct Response to Any Outdated Server Running Windows 2000 ServerIf a domain controller running Windows 2000 Server has failed for longer than the number of days in the tombstone lifetime, the solution is always the same:
Root CausesIf you rule out intentional disconnections, hardware failures, and outdated Windows 2000 domain controllers, the remainder of replication problems almost always have one of the following root causes:
General Approach to Fixing ProblemsUse the following general approach to fixing replication problems:
Monitoring Replication HealthMonitoring for replication failures is critical to being able to solve replication problems quickly and effectively. Use one of the following methods to monitor replication health:
Using a Monitoring Application to Monitor Replication HealthFor all domain controllers in a forest, monitor replication health on a daily basis by using Microsoft Operations Manager (MOM) or an equivalent monitoring application. For information about using MOM to monitor Active Directory, see Active Directory Management Pack Technical Reference for MOM 2005 on the Microsoft Web site (http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=41369). Using Repadmin to Retrieve Replication StatusReplication status is an important way for you to evaluate the status of the directory service. If replication is working without errors, you know the domain controllers that are online. You also know that the following systems and services are working:
Use Repadmin (Windows Support Tools) to monitor replication status daily by running a command that assesses the replication status of all domain controllers in your forest. The procedure generates a .csv file that you can open in Excel and filter for replication failures.
Use the following procedure to retrieve the replication status of all domain controllers in the forest.
Requirements
For every domain controller in the forest, the spreadsheet shows the source replication partner, the time that replication last occurred, and the time that the last replication failure occurred for each naming context (directory partition). By using Autofilter in Excel, you can view the replication health for working domain controllers only, failing domain controllers only, or domain controllers that are the least or most current, and you can see the replication partners that are replicating successfully. Attempting to Resolve ProblemsReplication problems are reported in event messages and in various error messages that occur when an application or service attempts an operation. Ideally, these messages are collected by your monitoring application or when you retrieve replication status.
Most replication problems are identified in the event messages that are logged in the Directory Service event log. Replication problems might also be identified in the form of error messages in the output of the repadmin /showrepl command.
repadmin /showrepl Error Messages That Indicate Replication ProblemsTo identify Active Directory replication problems, use the repadmin /showrepl command as described in the previous section. The following table shows error messages that are generated by this command, along with the root causes of the errors and links to topics that provide solutions for the errors.
repadmin /showrepl Error Messages
Event Messages That Indicate Active Directory Replication ProblemsThe following table lists common events that might indicate problems with Active Directory replication, along with root causes of the problems and links to topics that provide solutions for the problems.
Events That Indicate Active Directory Replication Problems
For more information about replication concepts, see “Active Directory Replication Technologies” in the Windows Server 2003 Technical Reference on the Microsoft Web site (http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=41950).
In this section
If you are a mid-sized business (25-300 PCs), use a great free Microsoft tool developed by the Microsoft Essential Business Server team (http://blogs.technet.com/essentialbusinessserver ). The tool scans your network, identifies various networking problems (DNS, AD replication, AD configuration, configuration of network adapters, etc.) and provides links to knowledge based articles that explain how to correct these issues. Microsoft built this tool for customers who are considering deploying Essential Business Server 2008 (http://www.microsoft.com/ebs/en/us/overview.aspx ) to prepare their environment for Essential Business Server (hence the name: Preparation Wizard). But, this tool can be used by anyone with Active Directory in their network who would like to verify the health of their environment. The tool runs over 100 different checks which are based on most common issues resolved by Microsoft Customer Support Services over the past 10 years! The tool does not change any settings in your network, so it is safe to run at any time. Unlike many other known tools which simply dump large amounts of networking data collected from a single source (such as event logs, for instance), this tool is able to gather data from many different areas( Active Directory, DNS, SYSVOL, event logs, etc.), cross reference that data, and make conclusions about the overall health of the network. Try it today. Go get it – it’s FREE! http://www.microsoft.com/ebs/en/us/preparation.aspx |


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