Q188042: SMS: Logon Servers Are Flooded with .sni Files

Article: Q188042
Product(s): Microsoft Systems Management Server
Version(s): winnt:1.2
Operating System(s): 
Keyword(s): kbDespooler kbPCM smsdespooler smspcm
Last Modified: 31-JUL-2001

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The information in this article applies to:

- Microsoft Systems Management Server version 1.2 
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SYMPTOMS
========

When the Package Command Manager (Pcmwin16.exe, Pcmwin32.exe, and Pcmsvc32.exe)
detects an expired job in its instruction file (.ins), it generates a despooler
instruction file (.sni) to have the expired job removed. The resulting .sni file
is created in the \SMS\Logon.srv\Despooler.Box directory on a Systems Management
Server logon server.

If there are sufficient numbers of expired jobs and/or clients, the logon servers
can be overwhelmed by this behavior. It's possible that the Server service on
the logon servers will reach 100 percent processor utilization. If it does,
network bandwidth can be affected.

Normally the Systems Management Server Maintenance Manager service successfully
collects the .sni files from the logon servers and allows the Systems Management
Server Despooler service to update the Package Command Manager (PCM) instruction
files. If the Maintenance Manager service is stopped or stops responding
(hangs), it will be unable to relieve the pressure caused by the creation of
.sni files on the logon servers.

WORKAROUND
==========

When creating a Run Command on Workstation package, do not define an expiration
date. Instead, cancel the job when you no longer want the package offered to the
clients. When a job is cancelled, the corresponding instruction in the PCM
instruction file is removed.

To cancel a job, perform the following steps:

1. Highlight the job to be cancelled in the Systems Management Server
  Administrator utility.

2. Click Edit, and then click Cancel Job.

STATUS
======

Microsoft has confirmed this to be a problem in Systems Management Server
version 1.2. This problem has been corrected in the latest U.S. service pack for
Systems Management Server version 1.2. For information on obtaining the service
pack, query on the following word in the Microsoft Knowledge Base (without the
spaces):

  S E R V P A C K

MORE INFORMATION
================

To stop the creation of .sni files, you must stop the PCM service and remove the
existing PCM instruction files from their current location.

NOTE: If the Server service is consuming 100 percent of the processor
utilization, it might be necessary to temporarily stop this service to be able
to remove the PCM instruction files. Do this only if you have physical access to
the affected servers.

Stop the Creation of SNI Files
------------------------------

If the .sni files are being generated by the PCM service on a computer running
Windows NT Workstation, the service can be stopped using the Rservice.exe
utility. For example, use the command

     RSERVICE /STOP PCMSVC.INI

where the Pcmsvc.ini file is the RSERVICE initialization file that was used to
install the PCM service on the workstation.

Remove PCM Instruction Files
----------------------------

After either stopping the PCM service and/or stopping the Server service on the
logon servers, the PCM instruction files can be removed. Delete or move the
client's PCM instruction file from the following locations:

On the Systems Management Server site server:

  \SMS\Site.Srv\Maincfg.box\PCMDom.Box\<domain>.xxx

On each Systems Management Server logon server:

  \SMS\Logon.srv\PCMIns.box

The .sni files located in the \SMS\Logon.srv\Despooler.box directory can be
removed as well. Because these files were created to modify the .ins files that
were just moved, they no longer serve a purpose.

After removing the .sni files, any existing package instructions will be lost.
The client will essentially start from scratch and packages you want the client
to execute, must be sent with new jobs.

Restart Services
----------------

Restart any services that you stopped so that you could clean up the files
involved with the problem. This should include the Server service on the Systems
Management Server logon servers and the PCM service on the computers running
Windows NT Workstation.

Additional query words: prodsms storm network hang hangs hung

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Keywords          : kbDespooler kbPCM smsdespooler smspcm 
Technology        : kbSMSSearch kbSMS120
Version           : winnt:1.2
Issue type        : kbbug
Solution Type     : kbfix

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